Trio of War
by quicksilver21
Summary: The story of 3 Warriors: Makto, Forlon and Reshka, each experts in their own choice of weapon; Magic, Sword, Bow and Arrow. The comrades fight to win a war on their own world, only to be thrown into a war on a another fighting for that world, their lives and every other world. They fight alongside an untrained rebellion in an attempt to stop an evil magician attempting to be a god
1. Chapter 1 Warriors of Dark Flame

_Hey there everybody, this is my first chapter and if i'm honest it was when I first started writing and it's not nearly as good as some of my others, so please do read the rest of my chapters if you have the time before making your mind up on wether or not you like the story, any reviews given, praises or criticisms will be acknowledged and appreciated. Thank you._

**Trio of War**

Chapter 1 - The Warriors of Dark Flame

Death. War. Destruction. These simple 3 words are rules by which my life is lived. I've killed countless people, taken part in numerous wars and ruined the lives of so many people the only suitable description of me is a monster.

The year is 1399 and Britain is in a state of war. We all fight for the same thing, freedom. I march to the enemy's final stronghold, Yorgo, with the flag of Kraak behind me, today we were going to end this war.

Before we hit the city many of our men are wiped out, their archers have been trained to perfection and didn't miss a shot. Yet our morale still flew higher than our flag and we breached their central gate within minutes of reaching it.

We were in a disastrous situation, we were pinned down at the line of their gate with a relentless barrage of arrows raining onto our shields and finding any chinks in our armor. We were in that trap for all of 2 minutes before our catapults had set up position in a neighbouring field and started killing in considerably large amounts.

I led the charge into the centre of their stronghold leaving the remaining men to scale the wall above the gate and protect the rest of us. Leaving my life in the hands of the best men available to me I became a killing machine. I recognised no one but the only two people able to match me in battle. The three of us tore through the enemy like they were dolls.

As we destroyed the last of the enemies I eyed the castle beyond the main wall, I didn't know what awaited us in the castle but I knew it was evil, more evil than I could imagine. Me and my two comrades climbed the outer steps and onto the castle wall.

I led the trio, slicing, hacking and stabbing my way to the inner castle where the real fight began. We came to a round, circular room and silently searched it. It was like an indoor colosseum and only too late did I realise the danger, black flames spread from the centre of the room and separated the 3 of us, humans made of dark flame came from the original lines of black fire and drew swords of flame as dark as night, then they lunged…

Each warrior was almost a match for me, I didn't have time to try and breach the fiery barrier separating me and my comrades I had to be on full alert to fight the new danger. Each move they made was calculated to perfection, only one came at me to start with, more than enough. He tried a slash at my legs so I jumped and stabbed at his helmet of flames which went through and came straight out the other side, the warrior stumbled back and his two-handed axe swinging friend came at me. I may be a match for my 2 comrades in battle but that was never because of my sword skill (like Reshka) or archery skill (like Forlon), I was just resourceful Makto. My sword skill could never match that of these warriors and I wouldn't nearly have the time to notch an arrow, would it do any good anyway?

I decided to play to my strength and ducked under the axe, dropping my sword as I did. I then turned and ran straight for the wall, my opponents were more hasty than they seemed and surprisingly the axeman was the fastest and made a lunge for me as I started my run up the wall. I ran up as far as I could, feeling the vibrations in the wall as I climbed, and then backflipped over the heads of my two assailants and turned just in time to see the fiery warrior with a spear try to piece my heart, I pressed myself to the floor and kicked up onto my feet as an axe narrowly missed my head and cut through the end of the spear which grew back within seconds.

I picked up my sword as I slid by the 3 warriors trying to take my life and made a swing for the spearman's legs, like my strike at the swordsman it had no effect. The I had the shock of my life as all 3 of my attackers stood still and spoke as one, their voice was raspy and somewhat metallic

"You will never beat us unless you embrace your true powers in battle."

"With a sword?" I ask

"A sword is your comrade, Forlon's true style and thus he can defeat us with that weapon, just as Reshka's true style is the bow and arrow and he can defeat us with that weapon alone."

"Then what's my 'true power'" I ask, not hiding my disdain for these abnormalities

"A sword, a bow and magic are the weapons of the trio" they said the sound not seeming to come from their mouths but their whole beings

"The trio?" I ask, then continue "I'm not a magician you monster" I had heard of people that used magic as a weapon but i'd never tried it, nor did I intend to if there was another choice

The warriors said nothing more and continued their assault, I briefly glimpsed Forlon and Reshka both attacking a shadowy warrior with their weapon of choice and watching them dissipate. The wall between the two of them dissolved just like the warriors had and only the wall separating me from them remained. As my best friends watched me get slowly and surely overwhelmed they screamed my name and tried to destroy the wall separating us. All their attempts were futile as I continued to evade my attackers temporarily. My options were decreasing by the second so I decided to take my chances with the words of the warriors trying to kill me.

I ducked a sword and jumped an axe then I was stood at the point where the wall of black flame connected with itself in the centre of the room, I stood confidently next to the flames and that seemed to keep my attackers at bay as they seemed to sense I was about to embrace my 'true power'. In what I thought was the worst mistake of my life I stuck my side into the flames and unlike the warriors it didn't travel all the way through…it gripped to my sword.

I pulled my now flaming sword out of the fire and swung it at the spear mans chest, at the slightest touch he evaporated and his comrades came at me. They still had me out skilled and I barely held my own, then everything screwed up. I side-stepped a sword then rose my sword in defence of an axe, this lost me my sword, but I had the strangest feeling that I no longer needed it. The swordsman swung at me and I raised my hand, he flew straight into the wall and passed right through it.

The axeman moved towards me but a flick of my hand and my sword was in the air, a split second later it was in his back and he turned into steam…along with my sword. The swordsman came through the wall and with my weapon gone I decided to see if any form of the magic I seemed to be using could kill these beasts or just their own dark flame. I raised my hand and his weapon evaporated, then my other hand and thunder struck my opponents chest getting rid of him for good.

The wall dissipated and Forlon spoke first

"Makto, you practice magic?" He asked suspiciously

"Apparently so" I replied

"Let's find out what evil being summoned those things" Reshka chipped in. We all nodded in silent agreement and headed through the next hallway of the dark castle. That was the great part of our trio, we never needed to discuss things in length we just confirmed the facts and headed on with whatever we needed to do. I suspected they would've been told the same message I had been about us being 'the trio' and understood it just as I had. None of us thought we'd come out of that castle for a good while, and we were right, but none of us ran, none of us showed any fear and none of us stopped being on full alert.

We understood what out 'true powers' were, Forlon gripped his sword tighter than ever, Reshka notched an arrow and progressed without slowing, and I, without knowing any limits to my magic, gathered fire in each orange fire in each hand. I'd known about me being a magician for all of 5 minutes but I still felt safer than ever knowing that I could summon pretty much any form of defence in a split second. Together we gathered at the door to the final room of the castle, a door shrouded in darkness, we all looked at each other, a silent understanding. Then I summoned a gentle magic wind with the flames still warming my hands to a comfortable temperature, not nearly warm enough to burn me but still strong enough to take down any danger. I raised the flames into the air without raising my hands and let the flames envelop my wind turning it into a sphere of floating fire and directed it straight at the door radiating evil, the door showed resistance to the magic at first but was overwhelmed with five seconds, then as the last bits of flame turned into nothing and the room before us came into view none of us regretted the fact that we'd just opened the door to evil..


	2. Chapter 2 The World As I Never Knew

Trio of War - Chapter 2 - The World as I Never Knew

I felt that if anything else had happened in that castle then I would've been shocked, if i'd died, if Forlon or Reshka had died or even been injured, it would have shocked me, yet me being a magician didn't. Makto the magician had a nice ring to it, and it felt right to say it, much more right than Makto the resourceful as the people of my village had taken to calling me.

So many thoughts raced through my head as I used my new found powers to turn a door nested in shadows to ash, I knew that I probably wouldn't survive the next 24 hours and I probably won't come out of this tower alive, my two comrades knew this as well but they, like me, didn't take a single step towards the way we came.

The doorway stood empty before us and without a word we fell into single file, Forlon drawing his sword and leading, Reshka notching an arrow in his bow and aiming it skilfully over Forlon's shoulder and me preparing lightning in my palms, I had a strong feeling that I could make the lightning go through my friends without harming them, and that i'd probably have to take the chance.

The room we entered into was smaller than the room down the hallway in which we'd all defeated warriors made of evil flame, this was the last room in the castle and it didn't take a clairvoyant to see that the room was full of evil.

The room was lit in a shadowy colour except for the centre, all the windows in the room had shadows covering them from the inside, wisps of darkness blocking any view outwards, only the centre of the room stood well lit due to the middle of the roof being missing, at first I thought this was the work of our catapults but the clean cuts that seemed to be in the roof told me that it wasn't done by accident or by craftsmen but by someone wielding the only tool know to man that could make a clean circular cut in a stone roof without even the slightest waver of a hand, magic.

The was circular and the light fell onto an archway upon a small podium in the room. Me and my comrades spread out, each heading to opposite parts of the room but seeing no signs of danger. We moved towards the arch, not lowering our weapons but feeling fairly safe.

Reshka was the first to test the archway and sent an arrow flying straight through the centre, it didn't come out the other side. Where the arrow had hit a light red light remained, like blood mixed with water. Forlon to a slash at the centre and his sword went straight through like Reshka's arrow and when it came out the same red colour stayed when the sword has been as where Reshka's arrow had.

"Think something will happen if it all goes red?" Reshka asked

"Let's find out" I replied and sent a wall of thunder the same shape as the arch into the arch itself, not even one fork touched the stone part of the arch, I was really loving my power of the shape of my magic.

The whole centre of the arch went the same red colour, and then it started to ripple at the edges, turning into a small 3-D sphere at the middle. The three of us stepped away from the middle as the sphere sent beams of the same red out of both sides of the arch which then collapsed upon themselves before reaching the walls and came back to the arch as an orange colour which then filled the inside of the arch. I was liking this structure less and less. An arrow went flying into the orange and again didn't make it through the arch. Forlon waited all of 2 seconds for Reshka to notch another arrow, looked at us both and shagged, then stepped straight into the orange, followed by me and then Reshka.

Fighting surrounded us immediately, a thin, young looking man did a front flip over all 3 of us and deflected an arrow with his sword, he dodged another 2 arrows and ducked under a bolt of lightning, he was against magicians. As he approached his enemy we saw that it was a a warrior of darkness, solid unlike the flame brunets me and my comrades fought against, but dressed in armor of pure black, all of them carrying an array of weapons and the power to wield magic.

A man in armor, seemingly the only one other than us on the battlefield with armor, ran past us, turned back and said

"I don't know what world you materialised from but if I were you i'd get helping us, unless you want to side with beasts that'll kill you before you get close."

This was all the encouragement we need and the chance to show off our skills would probably increase our chance of survival with these men. From a quick scan of the battlefield the enemy seemed to be about 500 and the allies around half that, but the people on our side seemed to be more skilled, and they had us. An arrow flew by my left ear and a few seconds later Reshka claimed his second victim as an arrow flew by my right ear. Forlon was covering Reshka, seeming to be unbothered by the fact that he wasn't getting any kills, apparently the world change had hit him hard. I ran forward with the man (I reasoned he must be a captain or something to be wearing armor and was definitely in command of this operation, he also knew about the world travel which must have require some classified knowledge).

Considering how skilled our newfound allies seemed to be I was rather surprised that I had to summon up a magical forcefield to save his life more than 3 times. We reached the centre of the fighting and I had a chance to test out my magic to the full, and it was near limitless. I summoned up a sword and shield of ghostly mist and the encased myself in a green outline which I stretched outwards and then set off by itself, a 7 foot tall magic outline of a man with a sword and shield to match now had our men covered.

I let my weapons fade away and started spreading balls of fire everywhere my hands faced, the armor of darkness seemed to give way to any magic I threw at it, but what surprised me more was despite all of their weapons and skill our allies didn't have the power of magic, I was the only magician on our side of the field. My train of thought was interrupted by a pure black arrow narrowly missing my head. I advanced into what little of the enemy remained and slide under a lance, tripping the enemy. I thrusted a hand at the warriors face and it crushed itself, an axe was sent towards my neck and I reacted by turning my hand into stone and deflected it, then a magically powered fist took the monster's head right off.

Another quarter of an hour of relentless fighting, which I felt slowly draining my magic, I had to remind myself later to find out my limits, and the battle was over, unfortunately 3 new warriors from another world wasn't something to be ignored, and that's when the real problem began..


	3. Chapter 3 Unfriendly Allies

Trio of War - Chapter 3 - Unfriendly Allies

Apparently saving the lives of half an army isn't enough to prove that you mean people no harm. We were taken into a camp that took around 3 hours to get to on foot from the battlefield. Of course we had a hundred arrows notched at each of our heads on the way there, but me, Forlon and Reshka knew that we were been taken hostage by these men by choice, I could stop all of the arrows and turn them back at their sources if they did decide to fire. Yet even without my magic I doubted we were in any real danger, this group left that was taking us to their camp had their armor strapped wrong, most of them had their swords holstered under their dominant hand and therefore drew it in their weaker hand, meaning they wouldn't do us much harm anyway. But the thing that made me feel the most safe was the archers unsteady hands, even if they did fire I was willing to stake my life that they'd miss us, and the fact they were walking while trying to aim made me have to try my best to not laugh, but I did have to snicker a few times, taken hostage by half an army of useless fighters seemed to be hysterical to me.

When we eventually reached the camp I saw that the people that had taken us hostage weren't at all good representatives of the whole army. Those that were in the camp were well organised had better, heavier armor and a bigger variety of weapons. We went through a series of tents and ended up at what was obviously a head of operations room, a man in gleaming gold armor stood before us, he was very muscular and didn't seem to have a lack of physical strength, his helm was shaped like an eagle with a pointed beak at the end, I thought that being head-butted by him would be painful.

"So you three are here." He said in a somewhat morbid tone, "I am Gilder, leader of the rebellion. I have heard some great reports on your talents in battle, tell me do you come here to help us or hinder us?"

I looked to my left and I could tell Forlon was ready to shoot his mouth off about us being taken hostage, despite it being voluntary, but luckily Reshka saw this too and put a calming hand on Forlon's shoulder to calm him. I gave Reshka a look of thanks and then spoke.

"If we were here to hinder you, the men that brought us here would be dead" I may not have been as angry as Forlon on the matter but I certainly wasn't a fan of being treated as any enemy to those that we'd just helped.

"Talented and you know it" Gilder chuckled "I do know that you helped us on the battlefield and that my men would probably be dead if it wasn't for your timely appearance. We greatly underestimated their numbers and didn't know how much that stronghold mattered to their leader, now we know why."

"Because of us" I figured

"Exactly" Gilder agreed "Those creatures you went up against were merciless beings of pure destruction, created by the most powerful magician this world has ever known. He plans on taking this world for himself and, until we rose up against him he wasn't doing a bad job. Yet when we did rise up he altered his plans, the chaos in the air caused by fighting allowed him to re-power strongholds used by ancient magicians years ago. This meant he could reawaken jump gates, like the one you used to get here to jump worlds, he now plans to control as many worlds as he can travel to. We didn't believe rumours that a gate was held on that battlefield, but it seems it was true. If we'd lost that battle our fight would've been taken to your world. You've done your world a favour."

By this point I realised that Gilder wanted to have a non-violent world, and was fighting to end the fighting. This meant he was a compassionate leader and while I didn't once doubt he skills in battle or how mercilessly he could kill I did doubt his ability to kill people who had helped him out. For this reason I used my magic to conjure up a strong wind and sent it hurtling from inside my body to all in the tent. When it had spread just far enough to knock everyone in the entire camp off their feet I brought it back and used it to jump higher than humanly possible. I landed straight on Gilder and summoned a magical sword which I put to his throat. No one moved an inch, even Forlon and Reshka seemed surprised at what I had done. It then occurred to me that I didn't know what I was doing. I'd just done this on magical instinct, but if there was one thing I trusted it was magic. So I used the position to the best of my ability.

"What aren't you telling us?" I asked in a ferocious voice that sounded like I knew what I was doing

"N-Nothing" This was the first time i'd seen Gilder lose his casual nonchalance and now I felt like everyone thought I did know what I was doing

"Then how did one magician become powerful enough to rule your land?" I hadn't thought of that until the moment it popped out of my mouth

"He worked for the national army, and explored some ruins with a platoon, they found a tome that allowed for a magician to drain another magicians power till they died, but have the tome was blank. He figured that he needed more power to read the rest and he was right. He drained a few magicians till they died and read the rest of the tome, it taught him how to follow chaos magic and eventually become a god."

"A god?" I repeated

"Yes, but he needs to destroy a world in sacrifice." Gilder still looked like he wanted to run away and hide but he tried to stay calm, this was obviously a difficult subject for him.

"So why does he want another world to rule?" I asked, confused

"He needed all the magicians in this world to read the last part of the spell and become a god, one escaped him and still lives, no one knows where, we've tried to find him but failed and our enemy has done the same. He needs only one more magician to become a god, other worlds are full of magicians I imagine, he needs a single one, who won't be expecting his power, and he gets to be a god."

"Does he need to kill the magician in question or can his puppets kill him and he still becomes a god?" I asked, curious of what chances I, as a magician, had of giving this guy the power of a god.

"He needs to drain his power himself, otherwise it won't help him."

I made the sword in my hand vanish and stepped of Gilder. Everyone in the camp started getting up on their feet now, one soldier started to draw his sword but Forlon was there and promptly stopped him.

"I need to get his attention" I said confidently, I had a plan that I had a fairly good feeling about

"Why would you want to do that?" Gilder asked, a look of confusion entering his features

"The playing field just changed" I stated, making my way out of the tent. Forlon came up on my left drawing his sword and Reshka came up to my right notching an arrow in his bow. Gilder followed behind the three of us.

"My name is Makto" I tell him, realising he doesn't yet know our names. "My sword wielding comrade is Forlon and the expert archer is Reshka. The reason i'm getting his attention is because i'm going to fight him, he needs a magicians power to become a god, since no one can find this one from your world i'll be his best chance. I get his attention, he comes to me and we kill him, simple."

"Do you really think it'll work?" Gilder asked.

All three of us laughed but didn't slow our pace.

"Course it won't work that simply" Reshka explained

"That's just the basic outline" Forlon continued

"We follow it until it doesn't work, which will probably be immediately, then we improvise" I told Gilder

"Does that ever work" He quizzed

"Well we're still here" Forlon said "So we must be doing something right"

"Or something really wrong" Reshka murmured

"You'd be surprised how often the two get confused" I say

Together the four of us, followed slowly by Gilder's army walked out to the battlefield and beyond, we saw clouds of shadow in the darkness on the horizon but I didn't plan on walking any further. The rebellion fumbled about in the stronghold below us, Gilder turned to join them and I let steam flow from my body, every pore of me produced steam until a cloud rose into the sky. It made a hissing sound as it went over the horizon and past the dark clouds, the only white cloud in a darkened sky, it travelled with a message:

'I'm a magician, now come, get me.


	4. Chapter 4 Training

Trio of War - Chapter 4 - Training

The next day was just my chance to test my limits, the army setup camp in the stronghold and destroyed anything they found with even the slightest trace of magic. Reshka rushed around with Gilder organising the army every time Gilder needed help, all he got in return was a simple 'Thank you' from Gilder each time he helped, but it made Reshka smile and although I didn't understand it, and Forlon found it laughable, I was happy that he'd found his place.

Forlon spent the first half of the day training his sword skills even further, but when the whole army settled for a break Forlon ended his early and returned to training, this led to half an entire army gawping at him as he trained, after all of 3 minutes when he lost his temper he decided to train them with some basic sword skills. Gilder sent his navigator away and saw Forlon training his men, he observed for a few seconds then had a slight chuckle and went back to drawing plans. He, like me, figured that Forlon was training them cause he wanted them to have a kind of punishment, not because he needed anyone to watch his back in battle, he counted on me and Reshka for that.

I spent my time testing my magic, the stronghold was badly damaged during the battle and needed repairing. I used my magic to repair it all, down to the last speck of dust, until it looked majestic and powerful again. I felt my magic reserves pretty low but I wasn't completely spent of magic yet. Since all of Gilder's men were running around doing who knows what or training with Forlon I summoned up some lifelike figures in the shape of Gilder's men to make it look fearful to any forces that might try to attack. As far as using the rest of my magic went I tried numerous different tricks to see how much they drained my magic and how many times or how long I could use them for.

I determined that in a large army summoning up a large avatar would wreak a lot of damage and not leave me defenceless in battle, I could summon two avatars if needed but it would drain my magic a lot quicker, only to be used for a quick victory. Other than the avatar spell I practiced throwing fire, summoning water, turning clouds into damaging objects and crashing them down to the ground as well as using the air to send opponents and objects flying. I eventually retired to the quarters chosen by me to fit me, Forlon and Reshka, I made sure to choose one of the two quarters at the very top of the stronghold as well as being the most comfortable, large and safe from attacks it was right next to Gilder's quarters. I did trust Gilder but the same couldn't be said for his army, while we spent the day reviving this stronghold an army from his central (and secret) headquarters was marching towards us so he could continue his campaign against darkness.

The three of us hadn't yet decided whether or not we'd be helping Gilder, we wanted this darkness purged from the land but getting involved with rebels didn't really fit with the three of us. We'd all spent our lives training to and then wiping out rebels, not working with them. Then there was the other magician issue. When Gilder said they'd searched for this magician as well as the darkness to no success I bought it, but after some thought it didn't add up. Gilder may have called of his search to keep this magician safe, but that didn't seem likely, although it was probably the right idea I didn't for a moment think it was true. After spending a lifetime fighting rebels I noticed they never gave up, even on the small things like the smallest village, so the chances of such a large group giving in on finding their last hope seemed impossible. I did have an explanation for this though, magic. My theory was that the magician was somewhere within the ranks of Gilder's army, weaving his spells to stop people searching for him and stop his magical potential being noticed, I wasn't nearly strong enough to locate any strong mind changing spell and trace it to it's source yet but I was keeping a sharp eye on Gilder's army for any signs of soldiers trying to influence the army, but i'd had no results.

When I got to my quarters I saw Forlon laying on the far left bed and heard shouting through the wall, Gilder was shouting at someone about how stupid marching forward without reinforcements sounded. When his screams were replied with shouts from the person he was arguing with I realised that Reshka was the one arguing with Gilder. I chuckled as I lay down on the far right bed, leaving Reshka the middle one. Forlon looked straight at me once I lay down and asked

"How long before he gives in?"

"Depends how long it takes him to realise Reshka doesn't give in" I told him

"So we'll be up all night?" Forlon quizzed

"Very likely" I calculated

"I think I taught that pathetic excuse for an army how to handle a sword today" Forlon said, looking a little pleased with himself.

"Was that your intention or did you just want them to stop hanging their jaws?" Forlon was known for his anger at people being impressed with his skill

"I'll make sure to gawp at them when they all die" Forlon said emotionlessly

"I bet you made a load of friends today" I said sarcastically

Forlon stayed quiet and looked like he was in deep thought, I knew better than to ask what about. Reshka gave an especially loud shout at Gilder which gave no reply except the drawing of a sword and then talking in a hushed tone. I instantly looked at Forlon, who nodded at me and I sent the section of the wall separating this room from the place Gilder was stood straight through Gilder's chambers. Reshka was stood on the other side of the wall calmly observing as Forlon clambered through and place his right foot on Gilder's chest and kept him pinned down as he feebly reached for his sword which was abruptly stopped from skating further along the floor by Reshka's foot. I entered the chamber and just stood on the bricks i'd sent to the floor, I knew i'd need to calm Forlon in a minute but considering Reshka had just been in danger from our so called ally I didn't rush to calm Forlon before it was needed.

"That is why you do not threaten me, Gilder" Reshka said in an unshaken voice

"You really don't give in, do you?" I questioned Reshka, who still focused on the argument despite the violent retaliation of Gilder to the argument.

"If I gave in then we'd all be dead within the week, i'm not sure about you, Makto, but I certainly don't want to die this week, i'd like to observe the ways of this world first, see what varies from ours." Reshka didn't really seem bothered by Gilder's feeble reaching for his sword.

I ordered Forlon off Gilder, but when Gilder stood he drew his sword at the other side of his pelvis. It was then I realised, Gilder never had two swords, nor was he wearing armor when the bricks hit him, yet not a mark was on his body from the debris. I could've just threw him against the wall but I was too angry to react sensibly. I'd figured out why Gilder had stopped looking for the final magician and it made something inside me click. Reshka lost his calm stance for the first time and Forlon shared a look of confusion with Reshka as I used my magic to fling air at Gilder's sword hand blowing it far over his head. I then used the air around me to shoot me straight towards Gilder. When i was near enough I gave him my left fist in his gut. He dropped his weapon and fell to his knees. I gathered flames around my right fist and sent it straight into his face. He seemed to show pain to the blow but his skin wasn't marked once, after numerous hits Reshka stood in my way and tried to calm me.

"Makto, get a grip, Gilder may have been violent but there's no need to kill him" Reshka reasoned but I couldn't be deceived anymore

"He won't die" I hissed "He's a magician" Forlon stepped forward and held Gilder's chin up to examine his face.

"Not a scratch on him" He commented "Seems like magic to me, but i'm no expert" Reshka took a confused step back and I sent Gilder through the air and into his table way to big for whatever he used it for.

"You hide yourself in plain sight" I realise "You lead the rebellion because you need magic to defeat a magician, he can summon his puppets and the flick of a wrist, you need a secret weapon, you need magic" Gilder nodded slowly and groggily.

"How quickly does this evil magician get power when he kills a magician?" I ask

"Instantly" Gilder replied

"Then we're going to need you around" I say "But if we find out you're keeping another secret like this from us, as well as your entire rebellion I will kill you myself"

We start walking through the whole in the wall when I turn back.

"I think you'll also be following Reshka's battle plans from now on" I smile "Since now we now the full situation and you're army doesn't, so just let Reshka do the planning, it'll all be fine"

With that we walk back into our quarters and patch up the hole into the wall and get a great night sleep


	5. Chapter 5 We Prepare for Battle

Trio of War - Chapter 5 - We Prepare for Battle

The next week of my life was a blur, due to Reshka being in charge of plans for the entire army nothing was left to chance. We departed a day before the reinforcements arrived at the stronghold we'd left and they caught up to us the following day, just as they were needed. The day we departed we were ambushed, but Reshka had seen it coming before we had departed and we defeated the attackers without our numbers been thinned too badly.

The next half day was spent marching across the land, towards the palace of evil (as we'd taken to calling it, due to it lacking a proper name). We came across a few enemies in our travels and our numbers were dropping rapidly due to the inexperience of the warriors we travelled with. I'd seen the warrior who'd told us to fight when we first entered the world fall to a shadowy warrior, it didn't bring me any sorrow but it didn't really make my day either. Gilder continued on as though we didn't know his secret, other than the occasional scowl in our direction, though I didn't blame him. It was bad enough we'd reversed all his plans but every time he suggested something to Reshka he nodded and told Gilder he didn't think of it and would take it on board, then he'd just go and do the exact opposite of whatever Gilder advised. I didn't know whether it was because Gilder was suggesting it or because it didn't fit with Reshka's plan (I had no doubt he knew exactly where we were going and how to get there without advice) but Reshka did exactly what Gilder hadn't suggested every time. This gave Forlon the irresistible urge to burst out laughing every time Gilder complained at Reshka for pretending to listen to his advice, which was probably the main reason for his scowling.

I, on the other hand, just didn't bother with Gilder, I knew his secret and his reason for keeping it to himself, if anyone knew and his enemy found out Gilder would fall before long and this world would be lost, but despite what was at stake if Gilder revealed himself I didn't know how he was able to stand knowing that overtime a soldier died it may have been stopped if he'd used magic. At least five times every battle I saw Gilder turn and watch someone die, a sorrowful look in his eyes, as if he was begging himself to use his magic and save his comrade, but whether it was a foe drawing his attention or him drawing his gaze, he always turned away and continued to fight.

The reinforcements joined our ranks as we setup camp and after pestering Reshka since the minute he saw them approach Forlon went to greet our new comrades. He was locked in conversation with the captain of the new soldiers for about five minutes before he turned back with a stern face and walked back to the central tent. I headed inside after seeing the shaken look on the captain's face as he entered camp and engaged Gilder. I asked Forlon what he'd said and he just told me

"I told them where we are from."

'And…" I pressed

"What would happen if they decided not to give a hundred percent on the battlefield" Forlon told me and Reshka with his head slowly falling down

"Which is…" Reshka continued

"I don't remember, something about cutting their faces off" Forlon had his head fully down now but I could see him struggling to hide a smile

"Well it's not like we had more friends than enemies anyway" I concluded

The captain walked into the tent with Gilder by his side and Forlon decided to leave

"I better go and check everyone still has their faces" He smirked as he eyed the captain while leaving the tent. Only when Forlon was gone did the captain's hand leave his sword's hilt.

"I take it you're Makto?" He addressed me

"The only magician in sight" I eyed Gilder

"And you're Reshka" He turned to my comrade, missing the purpose of my comment at Gilder completely. Reshka looked up from his maps and plans and eyed the captain for a few seconds before speaking.

"There's a battalion of shadow warriors amassing North and East, they'll join together just past midnight and walk into camp where they'll fight and more than likely overwhelm us"

Over the day travelling i'd been trying new spells and had become pretty adept at reading people's thoughts, a very useful spell when people's secrets hindered us.

"He's not crazy" I replied to the captain's thoughts

"I never said he was" The captain retaliated

"But you thought it"

"That's an insult, magician or not I will not be offended in such a way"

"You don't want to be offended, don't think that my comrade is crazy, magicians can read thoughts you know." I hopped off the table i'd been sitting on and stood inches away from the captain. "And the fact that you tried to lie about it makes the insult to us even worse, so you'll listen to my comrade if you want to, what was it Forlon told you? Keep your face? I think that was it"

"So we split the army in two and take both sides on at once? Or do we take them one at a time" He quizzed Reshka, trying to look through me until I moved out of the way.

"That depends" Reshka replied, engrossed in his plans again.

"On what?" The captain quizzed

"How intent you are on suicide, because both plans you just proposed just scream suicide"

"So what do you propose?"

"The army take the warriors to the East and the three of us will handle the North". I quickly turned on Reshka

"We're good, but that good? It still seems suicide to me" I told Reshka

"Please, Makto" He replied smoothly "We're the Trio, do you think those flame warriors were there that day of a source different to the one this dark magician is using? He needs us for something, and not just your magic, Makto, he knew that only one of us had magic, no. He needs the three of us, and I think I know why, we came through to this realm at the exact same time, the very same moment."

"So?" I quizzed

"The three of us are technically the same person" Reshka explained " I don't mean that if one of us dies all of us will, if I die you and Forlon will still live. But we're the same entity, the same way everyone in this army makes up the army, but no single man is the army. The three of us are one in the same, if he wants your magic for himself he needs to kill the three of us, he could kill you and drain you dry but he'd get none of your magic, he could then kill another of us and still get nothing, but if he gets us all he gets his power."

"Does that mean he won't let his puppets kill us?" I asked hopeful

"Of course not, his warriors will kill us on sight, but it means that we are the Trio, a legend in this world. It says that we can take on any challenge as long as we stick together and find out 'special skills'. But no, before you ask, I have no idea what any of them are. I heard the flame warriors, talking about us, but they said our 'true weapons' not our 'special skills'.

After another half an hour of discussions about the Trio and our skills with Gilder, the captain and later Reshka we all headed out to the battlefield. I watched Gilder and his men head due east then began my journey due North, I didn't doubt Reshka's statement about where the shadow warriors were, so I made myself as ready as I could for battle on the five minute walk to the enemy. We walked in silence until we saw the enemy when we all looked at each other. We stood in a straight line with me in the middle and I let magic gather gently on top of my skin, a bright yellow colour. As the enemy marched towards us I let the light grow brighter and stronger until it exploded into a pillar which headed straight up into the clouds, piercing the dark clouds above and heading further beyond.

Then, we charged


	6. Chapter 6 Three Against an Army

Trio of War - Chapter 6 - Three against an army

Before we started running each of us had a plan in mind. When I ran the yellow column of light disappeared from under the clouds but the light could still be seen above the dark clouds.

For a few seconds the three of us ran in a straight line, side by side, completely synchronised. About 10 seconds before we would connect with the enemy, Reshka dropped his right knee to the floor, his right at a ninety-degree angle with his foot firmly on the floor. I never stopped running but already had his bow halfway over his shoulder and an arrow readied from his quiver by the time I passed him.

Forlon drew his sword shortly before he started hacking away, shouting some of the vilest curses i'd ever heard anyone utter, and i'd been there when the enemy in our own world had taken our village, the anger Forlon had shown that day. In that moment I truly believed he could've taken on anyone and everyone that would dare try to fight him.

My battle plan was much more complicated than just dropping down and firing arrows, or just charging recklessly, mine required belief in my powers and perfect timing, otherwise i'd be down before the fighting truly started. As Forlon connected with the first shadow warrior I dropped down into a crouch and an arrow whizzed by, missing my right ear by mere millimetres, but I had true faith in Reshka, there wasn't the slightest chance in my mind that the arrow would've ever hit me. As I crouched the pillar of light exploded from its confines in the clouds of shadow and buzzed against my skin. I absorbed the magic from the pillar, an insubstantial amount and the magic of sending it up had been equalled in bringing it back down, meaning I lost no energy, it was for the sake of the army currently fighting to the East, they needed morale.

Once the pillar was gone and the magic was around me (taking not even a second) I leaped into the air. From up here I could see the whole army, a sight I knew i'd never speak off, and judged my fall so I landed directly in the middle. On my way down I summoned an avatar around me and sent it downwards, so it landed before I did. It landed in a crouch and I landed the same on it's shoulder. I recovered and sprinted to its head, protected by a curved helmet and jumped straight off. I landed in a slight gap next to my 10-foot warrior and recovered as an arrow came from above and took out an enemy who would've taken my head off. I stood up straight and summoned dual swords made of shining silver into my hands.

My avatar took on the enemy behind me, working his way out of the army itself, with relative ease, each time a killing blow was delivered these shadowy foes turned straight into piles of black dust. I spun under a sword blow and sliced open the chest of a warrior and then lunged forward, stabbing another in the relative same place. My avatar sent a 3-foot spear in front of me, wiping out at least 10 hostiles, I braved a look at it and noticed that any strikes on it just bounced off, I couldn't help but smile.

Forlon broke through the ranks and got to me as three arrows, clearly launched at the same time, embedded themselves in the warriors around him.

"Get your head in the game, Makto" Was the only acknowledgement I got that he knew he may have just saved my life. I smiled at him and then looked at the broken rank of warriors in front of Forlon and stared at them for about a second, then their heads popped off and they turned to shadowy dust.

"What did you do?" Forlon asked, continuing to fight.

"Busted whatever they have in replacement of a brain" I replied, sending a wall of flame over Forlons head and into his enemy.

"Talk about taking the fun out of it" Forlon sniffed, his sword never stopped moving.

The avatar cleared out all the hostiles near it and then turned into the air around it, the best fighter in the battle by far, but I doubt Forlon would ever accept that. I enveloped my swords in light and then shot lifted my hands into the air and the light exploded, making the swords disappear. The only foe left was standing in front of Forlon who almost slashed it down when an arrow took the foe away from him.

He turned on Reshka, who was sheathing his bow, and screamed;

"Hey, you'll regret that"

"I'm sure I will" Reshka's chuckle joining with mine

"That went well" I pointed out, rather pleased

"You think?" Reshka's tone went dry "The real threat comes now"

I turned to Reshka and uttered the simpler word

"No" Realising what Reshka meant by 'the real threat'

"What?" Forlon asked, unable to keep pace with our thoughts. I turned round in time to see the last speck of shadowy dust gathering in a pile and turning into Gilder's arch enemy, someone who's name i'd never thought to ask.

"Who are you" I asked the person i'd been referring to so far as 'the evil magician'. He chuckled in a low and somehow intriguing voice

"Come come, young magician, even you must know my name"

"I never thought to ask" I retorted

"Just like you never thought to blow away this dust?" He stopped laughing

"Indeed, figure that out yourself? I'm sure you would've done it faster if you could only find another magician" That seemed to strike a nerve, but that was my intention. From the moment this dusty excuse for our real enemy I could sense that it was strongly protected, too strongly, I needed to catch him unaware. He may have been a weakened version but I didn't doubt he'd still be a match for the three of us without our 'Special Skills'.

After around twenty seconds of how he'd find us all and gut us all Forlon stopped him in his tracks, I would've expected Forlon to stop him with words or his blade but he used a tool none of us would've ever expected of him, laughter. After twenty seconds he couldn't stand it anymore, he doubled over with laughter, I had to admit that there was something funny about our enemy describing how carefully he'd gut us and hang our heads on his wall, but i'd managed to stop myself from laughing, apparently Forlon didn't have the same self control, or chose not to use it.

After he doubled over all of us looked at him, thats when I struck, I used the same light that removed my blade from my hand to summon one back in my right hand as I swung, but instead of shining silver the sword glowed green, magical green. He may be unaware but he was by no means defenceless. The sword went right threw his dust-made neck and he didn't even see it, not even when it hit him. I didn't make the same mistake twice, instead of sending my sword into light I turned it into water and dropped it straight on the dust, washing it away easily.

"Like my distraction?" Forlon asked, wiping a tear from his eye

"Genius" I told him

"If only it was planned" Reshka pointed out. Forlon then proceeded to rant on at us for the next half hour about how he never laughs in the face of the enemy unless it's planned, and that he knew what I was trying to do. That's when (just before I went asleep) Gilder's army appeared over the horizon and, within fifteen minutes of discussing Gilder's secrets and his possible strength, they joined with us and setup camp.

Gilder reserved the right of the head tent but he didn't get much sleep anyway, he was pointing someone this way and that. Then he started calling in every man of slight importance, meaning that those sleeping were woken, but seeing as me, Forlon and Reshka were sleeping next to the head tent we were't asleep anyway, Gilder's shouts every two minutes made sure of that. When we were all assembled in the main tent, about thirty of us in all, Gilder paced a while, then, when someone almost fell asleep on his oversized (and now repaired after the time i'd flung him through it) planning table he spoke.

"Right everyone" He spoke slowly and with purpose "We have a problem"

And that was a man in fully black shadow armor, thicker and burlier than the average foe, materialised beside me, gathered black magical power around his chest-plate and, as everyone readied there weapons, turned the air black and sent everyone to the floor on their backs


	7. Chapter 7 Enemies at a Different Level

Trio of War - Chapter 7 - Enemies at a different level

Everyone was knocked to their floor and landed on their backs, except for two people. One of those people was a general I didn't know, who instead of landing on his back on the floor fell back, the same as everyone else, but went through Gilder's planning table, smashing it to pieces…again.

The other, i'm proud to say was me, using magic to shield myself, and looking at the sword strapped to the shadowy foes belt, the magic had probably meant i'd saved some people in here being stabbed through the heart while they were down. Unfortunately saving their lives like that meant I had this things attention, if was about 25% bigger than I was which didn't make me feel comfortable with fighting it. It swung horizontally and I easily dodged the high blow, barely crouching, I then jumped, sending my body forward, took the beast by the waist and kept going, taking the creature down to the floor with me on top.

From what i'd seen this creature possessed shadow magic which, unlike most magic, required little concentration, just the skill. I knew little shadow magic, I could life someones shadow and maybe use it to drag them to the floor, but that was about all. I gave the creature a right hook to its protected face and gave it a left hook to follow up, I kept with this for a little while, disorientating the creature, causing damage to it and my knuckles against it's helm. When it regained its sense it raised it's sword at me, I grabbed it's sword hand with my right and slammed its hand to the ground, following with a left hook to the face.

I tried grabbing the sword but got a fist in my gut for the trouble. It pushed me off its back and into a crouch. I rose and went towards the creature but it raised it's hand and I glimpsed pure black in the palm, shadow magic. I ducked back down, still moving, as a stream of shadow that would've taken my heart from my body passed over my hunched back. As the shadow thinned and disappeared I rose and gave it an uppercut with my right hand, pain flared but I pressed on. It stepped back I summoned my sword to me hand with a burst of light, I ducked a fist aimed for my head and slashed its right kneecap, then rose up and slashed its left upper arm.

Continuing the technique I had been taught as a child I ducked a fist thrown by the creatures left hand, the logical option as the other arm would be in pain. then ducked and manoeuvred around the creatures right arm so I was behind the beast. I brought my sword from my side and slashed it up the creatures back, straight along the spine. I did the same duck and weave around to the creatures front as it fell to its knees, brought my sword round and took its head off its shoulders.

I sent my sword away with a flash of light and I looked at the rest of the people in the room who were groggily getting up, the shadows were apparently disorientating, but I had the feeling everyone had seen what happened. The remains of the creature turned into shadowy wisps which blended into the air in seconds. Gilder sensed the mood of the room and said

"Dismissed" Sending us all out with the single word.

I stood next to the exit of the tent and received a handshake or pat on the shoulder from each soldier who left, the occasional 'Thank you' from one or two, but this was war, being on the same time meant having each others backs, each of these men would've fought if they'd been in my situation (if they hadn't been frozen in fear). Reshka and Forlon piled out last and told me they'd get some sleep. I walked over to Gilder who was rounding off a talk with a soldier who couldn't have been over 19. As he passed me he looked at me, clasped my hand and said

"We're all lucky you and your comrades are with us, and that you were here today" I didn't need any magic to tell he was sincere and he left the tent.

Gilder walked over to his re-broken table picked up a large piece and set it on fire with his palm, the first magic i'd ever seen him use, he then threw it to the floor in a mood.

"I let everyone down" He said quietly "I had to rely on you to save us all, only a third of a man, no offence" He added the last bit hastily when he realised what he'd said

"If you'd followed true magic then you would've been able to take that thing" I told him, feeling wise "You've just had your secret so long that your magic won't even act on instinct. You may be a magician, Gilder, deep down, but no longer are you one on the surface, only upon activation by you, your lie has corrupted your magic, making it only manual use, unless you tell them" I gestured outside the tent "you'll never have magic as a last resort, your manual defences don't include it anyway, you're too much into the lie, and it's auto is dead."

"What do I do?" He looked at me with hopeful eyes

"Why didn't you lead the rebellion as a magician" I asked in response "Surely they would've gathered faster if they'd known"

"I was scared" He answered honestly "I didn't want to be the one responsible for giving him full power. But worse, I was scared for myself, not the world, I didn't want to die"

"And now?" I ask

"I'll get what's coming to me" He lowered his head

"Who's 'he'?" I quizzed

"You met him, not me"

"What's his name, he said even I would know"

"No one knows now, he just calls himself Soul Eater"

The name sounded right, not just because of his powers, but it seemed to fit his personality, all business, focused on one task, nothing more.

"Gilder" I said after a minute "For now you may survive without magic, with just skill. But in the end we'll need your magic. I can see it in you, if you tell them who you are you're magical limits will expand, it will come back on instinct, your powers will back and better" Gilder nodded and said

"When you need me, i'll tell them, not one moment before. I know my magic will be needed, but not yet, when you need it, it'll be there" I nodded my gratitude, as long as we all survived long enough Gilder could be relied on.

I headed out of the tent but before I left Gilder called

"Makto?" I turned "Killer uppercut earlier, you may want to heal your knuckles from that" I looked at my knuckles, and sure enough blood had dried into to the torn skin. The other knuckle sustained damage too, but not as bad, I directed magic to them both and they were fine within seconds. I smiled at Gilder who called again

"Makto" He said, but I didn't turn "I owe you, for saving my best men"

"Just do the right thing" I replied in a solemn voice and walked out of the tent and back to my own, informing Forlon and Reshka of the events


	8. Chapter 8 A Heroes Life

Trio of War - Chapter 8 - A heroes life

When I awoke the next day nothing was as it had been the day before. Word had spread of my actions in the main tent and every soldier I saw gave me a little smile or gave a quick 'thank you'. I know none of them really cared, saving peoples lives was expected, but it was a sign of at least a decent amount of respect. There was four people who I believed gave me their true feelings on what i'd done.

The first was Forlon. When I got back to the tent we had a long discussion about how he would've handled it, despite not having his sword. He also gave me some tips on posture and how the technique could be improved, he told me we're not kids anymore, like when we learned it.

The second was Reshka. He'd said little on the topic, but more focused on the lack of great effort shown by the creature as it appeared next to us and threw everyone but me to the floor (excluding the unlucky general who'd gone through Gilder's table).

The third was Gilder. After he dismissed everyone we'd had a short discussion on his magic and I was fairly sure that he appreciated what i'd done, despite not going into great detail on the topic.

The fourth, and final, was the young soldier who'd grasped my hand as he left the tent. I didn't need any magic to tell he was sincere but since i'd first developed the skill of being able to read people's minds (I wasn't particularly adept at it, but I could get the general gist of what people were thinking, not great detail though) it was terribly hard to stop. I didn't feel I needed the technique for Gilder anymore and i'd once thought of using it on Forlon or Reshka, needless to say I didn't and was truly ashamed of myself.

Yet on others I still used the trick, even on random soldiers I met around the camp, even if I didn't talk to them. I'd seen the young soldier as I left the main tent and headed to mine, a few feet away, and hadn't been able to resist reading his mind. I got vague information on the orders he was issuing, and that he was going to his tent straight after, but the main thing on his mind was me, he viewed me as a role model. I tried searching for Forlon and Reshka among his thoughts. In his mind Forlon was too rash and Reshka too logical, he believed that instinct was needed to win a war.

I was honoured at what he thought of me, but it did put me on a high pedestal and, although I didn't go out of my way to, I avoided the soldier throughout the beginning of the next day.

Although nothing was normal for me Reshka and Forlon had no trouble picking up where they left off. Reshka woke at the crack of dawn, went down to stream running near the edge of the camp, found some easy prey and tested his archery skill. Some soldiers saw him and went to retrieve the corpses of his targets, giving the front line soldiers their fill for the day. All day hushed whispers of his exceptional skill, and discussions on weather or not it was an elaboration of some soldiers memory, ran around the camp. As they started Reshka strode into the main tent like he owned it, and with the secret weapon of blackmailing the rebellions leader on his side (a task me and Forlon thought better to him, we'd probably go overboard and get ourselves killed for it), he may have well owned the place.

Forlon sat outside our tent until Reshka entered the main tent, he waited a minute and stuck his head inside and called to Reshka and Gilder

"I'm going to try and get your army to use some real skill, if they die trying, it isn't my fault" Reshka remained motionless and, after staring at Reshka with a look that said 'is he serious?', who didn't react, he told Forlon to get on with it. Forlon came out of the tent and headed towards the largest tent, the main barracks.

I followed Forlon and tried to attract as little attention as possible (although hearing rumours of my 'heroic' actions did make me crack a smile) and couldn't resist letting out a chuckle as he saw the general outside the tent, in the training grounds, screaming at the army. He turned to me, gawped and said

"That's my job" I leaned back, laughing then said to him

"Go teach him that then" I gestured to the training grounds

Forlon headed straight there, taking a slight detour into the barracks to pick up a spear. He headed further then stood for a minute, eying the general and threw the spear. It landed an inch from the general's foot, stopping him mid-scream. When he looked up a second later to see who'd thrown the spear Forlon's sword was already drawn from his belt, pointed at the generals throat.

"I think i'll be taking it from here" he said with a smirk on his face

The general stood there for a second then walked backwards two steps and as he walked around Forlon, who was sheathing his sword, Forlon spoke

"Wait" he commanded. The general turned to Forlon who looked away

"Take the spear with you" The general trudged over to the spear, obviously unhappy, picked it out of the ground and the army laughed Forlon turned to them, his expression hard. Then he opened his mouth and made all of them regret laughing with his screams that put a hunting horn to shame.

The young soldier i'd spent the first part of the day avoiding came up beside me as Forlon started his screams, and his chuckle joined mine

"He's an angry man isn't he?"

"Don't let him catch you saying that" I advised "you won't live through the day if you do" He chuckled and told me he didn't doubt that. I figured had time to kill so I just spent the next two hours or so chatting with him, finding out how he'd become such a high rank at such a young age. His father had died in battle and passed his blade along to him before he died, which made this soldier the second in command of the rebellion.

I thought he would've had more duties at such a placement but since he wasn't given the rank through conventional methods and through a deathbed replacement (which surprisingly was accepted in the rebellion) many soldiers didn't agree with him and he and Gilder had agreed to give him some time to settle in to the rank before piling the duties on. But just as they were about to we showed up and Reshka virtually took command from Gilder's hold and seemed to have everything under control.

I examined his sword for a while, specially crafted to perfection, only two into he rebellion, his and Gilder's. We sparred for a while and I showed him some new techniques for battle and in return he taught me some manoeuvrability, useful for keeping myself alive in battle. As one guard sounded the horn for our meal we stopped sparring and made our way to the barracks for a meal. We passed the training grounds as Forlon was telling the soldiers they could only leave if they managed to show the technique he'd most recently taught them.

The first soldier barely did it right but earned his right to a meal. After the next three led to utter disappointment Forlon let them leave, but not without telling them what he thought of them. I read the minds of many as they left and could instantly tell that most of them loathed Forlon for his strict methods. Yet one or two respected him and knew that he was only doing it to keep them alive in battle.

We all sat down to a filling meal and Reshka shared with us some of his plans for the next few days. The only part I needed to understand was how long we were staying here, which was only the night. Tomorrow we'd be packing up and marching off to some place to the far East, towards the kingdom of evil (as we'd come to calling it).

Gilder ended his participation in the meal with a toast, respecting the courage of all those who fought in the previous battle and those who'd died. When his toast was over he looked to Reshka who told me and Forlon to follow him out very soon and left the hall, Gilder followed, signalling for one of his generals to take his place, but he was stopped by the soldier i'd be sparring with all day (whose name i'd found out was Kora).

Kora gave me a smile and a wink, then shoved his head in the direction of the door, he obviously knew I was needed elsewhere. I read his thoughts as I left and found that not only had I become much better at reading peoples thoughts (thats what doing it to almost everyone you see does for you) but that I was the reason he was up there, he'd decided to take up his fathers mantle and accept his duties, though Reshka needed little of others, but he tried to make him feel important, and he was.

Me and Forlon headed to Gilder's main tent in silence and I didn't let my smile from thoughts of Kora die until we entered the tent. As soon as I saw Gilder I wondered weather or not he should be idolising Gilder instead of me, but I figured that would only make Gilder's secret more hurtful when it did, eventually and inevitably, come out. The tent was repaired from last nights fight and the planning table looked as majestic as ever, I had to wonder how long that would last.

"Is the table really important?" Forlon asked as he eyed it "All it seems to do is break" Gilder looked unimpressed and turned to me

"How much shadow magic do you know?" he asked. I suspected why he'd asked this but I answered anyway, quoting my thoughts from the night before

"I can grab someones shadow, lift it up and trip them up, but thats about all"

"Shame" was Gilder's reply "that creature that attacked was a prototype, don't ask how we got the information but they're being perfected as we speak. The only weapon they'll be vulnerable to is magic, particularly shadow magic"

"So nothing else will kill them" Forlon exclaimed "Not even other types of magic?"

"Unfortunately so" Gilder bowed his head

"Ok then" I said "That all?"

"Well…yes" Gilder stuttered "but"

The rest of Gilder's words would've been white noise, but since they didn't reach my ears, they weren't even that. I turned and walked out of the tent. Shadow magic was a type of magic i'd not wanted explore, like i'd said, I knew the absolute basics, enough to maybe save my life in a crisis, but to deliver a killing blow. To those creatures of all things. Despite not being adept in the magic I had a reasonably good understanding of it. Shadow magic could be used to travel distances, like teleporting but it wasn't instantaneous and it included becoming the air around you, after turning it shadow.

The magic could also be used for firing streams of pure shadow, turning the air shadow and harming people with it (this could be lethal, but it was very rare the spell appeared in such a form). The main use of shadow magic though was controlling the shadow. The user let the shadows flow threw him upon deciding to use the magic and then he could do all the powers i'd thought of and more, he could control them. If he made a fist, a larger shadow version could form of the fist, he punched, it did. It was sort of like my avatar power but under complete control…and very addicting, so i'd heard.

Apart from this I knew nothing, except there were hundreds of other magical abilities that could be used threw the shadows. Unfortunately only the people that practiced shadow magic knew these, and they never usually shared the info. There was no doubt in my mind, i'd have to practice shadow magic. The up side was it wasn't a path of magic that forced you to relinquish your progress on other paths, I could still use all the skills i'd learnt if I practiced the art of the shadows.

I also knew that if I decided to do this i'd be more powerful than ever, on top of what I already knew of the magic there was encyclopaedias of abilities I didn't know, and I was willing to wager that each of them could save my life, in the right situation.

With that thought occupying my head, I headed to the training ground, from what i'd heard there was no better place to draw on the shadows than in an open space on a dark night. I spread my hands and felt cold shadows drift onto my fingertips and seem through them. The cold shocked my insides and spread to my heart which I was sure would stop at any second. I fell to my knees as the burning cold sensation reached my knees. Then it subsided.

I felt different somehow, in an indescribable way. Then I looked at the floor, cracked a smile and closed my eyes. I opened them a second later and i felt the shadows cover me in a thin, black vapour shield, from the ground to my head, then I was on top of the barracks. The same again and I was back in my own tent. I laid down and prepared to get some sleep. As I did a single thought rushed through my mind.

I'm a Shadow-Wielder now


	9. Chapter 9 Shadow Magic

Trio of War - Chapter 9 - Shadow Magic

I woke up feeling rested and relaxed. Yet this didn't even compare to the magic that ebbed under my skin. From what i'd learnt on my world i'd have this feeling for another five minutes and then it would be lost forever.

I hadn't decided wether or not to tell anyone about my absorption of the shadows. It was a dark and addicting path, I knew in that moment that I had to stay in control, if I let the magic control me, I wouldn't be me. I may have been a Shadow-Wielder but I didn't plan on using shadow magic exclusively. As far as I was concerned it was just another tool in my arsenal, just like throwing fire, or summoning an avatar to help me. I was not going to let this new type of magic corrupt me.

When the feeling finally faded I got up and walked out of my tent. I saw Forlon shouting at a squad to gather the equipment quicker and Reshka calmly issuing orders to optimise equipment space. Reshka caught my eye and started to walk over, as he passed Forlon he tilted his head and Forlon followed him. When they reached me Reshka just stared at me and then Forlon finally spoke.

"Did you embrace the shadows?" Forlon asked and then scared away a soldier bothering him without saying a word. I nodded in answer to his question

"A tough choice, I imagine" Reshka calculated

"I never had one" I said solemnly "Without this power we wouldn't only be sitting ducks to those creatures (who'd apparently been named 'shadow stalkers' after i'd left last night) we'd stand no chance against Soul Eater. I needed more power and I still do really, but upon accepting the shadows, I get an instant boost in all my current magic, and I automatically get access to over half the spells available to Shadow-Wielders. In every situation this works out better, we go up against another army? I could sustain three fully formed avatars for at least five minutes, and if I keep practising all the aspects of magic I know then i'll be even stronger, maybe even strong enough to beat Soul Eater"

"Makto," Reshka reasoned "You said it works out better in every situation, what about the one where you could get addicted and go crazy?"

"Reshka" I replied "Shadows are just a new power I plan on using when needed, i'm not going to overdo it and use shadows at every turn instead of more sensible magic. It'd cost the same energy from my reserves so it seems pointless to risk obsession to the shadows when I could do something just as easily without them"

Forlon seemed sold to the idea but Reshka wasn't done

"Makto?" he quizzed "Have you thought this threw?"

"I did" I promised "but its too late now, I can't reject the shadows anyway, and even if I could, i'm not being a sitting duck for Soul Eater or his shadow stalkers, and who knows how long we'd last against enemies we can't beat?"

"Makto," Reshka's gaze softened "me and Forlon trust you and both believe you won't get hooked" - Forlon nodded his agreement - "but if you ever feel yourself being drawn too strongly then just lay back on the shadows. They may be a very useful power, but not more useful than the other powers you have put together, your other magic is still stronger, remember that" I smiled at Reshka and before I could reply I heard the call from the end of camp, the only part that wasn't packed up.

Gilder came rushing to us and told us it was what we had feared (apparently opinions were made last night after I left), shadow stalkers.

"How many" I demanded

"Five in total" Gilder rushed

"Get moving" I told him "Forlon, lead them out of here, i'll get the rest of the stuff and join you up ahead"

"I will too" Reshka chipped in and I nodded. No one argued, Forlon and Gilder went to organise the rebellion while me and Reshka went towards the shadow stalkers.

I felt the shadows before I saw them, just up ahead. I directed magic to my eyes and looked further forward than i'd previously thought possible. I saw the shadow stalkers, three dead bodies laid around them and their shadows were recoiling into their armor, ready to strike again.

"I need to see if any magic will kill them first" I informed Reshka.

Without waiting for a reply I ran out into their view and fired a thunder bolt, straight into the chest of one of the shadow stalkers, the closest to me. It bounced of his armor easily. Then I had their attention and all five looked at me. They raised their hands in synchronisation and tiny spheres of black appeared in all of their palms, and they fired, all five aimed at my heart. I crouched and front flipped over the five shadow streams and landed as they ended. Normally, this would've required magic but thanks to the help I received from Kora I could do it without the help of magic.

As the shadow stalkers lowered their hands I stood up and spread my arms wide, I joined my arms together stretched out in front of my chest and, as the shadow stalkers prepared to summon some sort of shadow monstrosity, a black sphere grew in my hands and I stretched it out into a horizontal line of shadows, then I let it lose and it grew into a horizontal line of shadowy death as it streamed towards the shadow stalkers. The four on the right ducked and came up the other side of the shadow line but the shadow stalker on the left didn't duck fast enough and as soon as the line of shadow struck its head the beast turned into wisps of shadow and disappeared into the air around it.

The remaining shadow stalkers got ready to turn the air black and push me over (with four of them combined it most likely would've been fatal) but when they let lose the shadows I simply turned the air around me to shadows and transported myself behind the shadow stalkers. I summoned my sword in a blast of light and coated in with shadows, then I stuck it into the back of the shadow stalker directly behind me, turning it into shadowy wisps likes its dead comrade.

Reshka took this time to strike and I saw an arrow hit the shadow stalker to my left on the back of the knee as it was turning, making it stumble and giving me a suitable opportunity to turn it to shadowy wisps, which I took instantly. Three down, two to go. They drew their swords and advanced as I back stepped. I halted next to a tent that was still up and gathered its shadow in my hand, I threw it into the faces of the shadow stalker and sent it with magical air behind it, making them stumble.

I used the air to send me forward and as the shadow stalkers struggled to unravel themselves I turned another one into the air around it. I thrust my sword at the other one but it thrust its sword out and caught me off guard, sending my sword skidding along the floor. The shadow stalker decided to stop unravelling itself and used the shadows to send itself behind me, where I had to duck quickly to avoid losing my head, but still had a wall of shadows sent into my back.

The shadow stalker had its sword ready to take me out but I rolled out of the way quickly and swiped its right leg from under it and sent the full force of the air pushing at its left leg, toppling it and making it land on its covered face. I raised myself to myself as it got to its and swung its sword at me, I stepped out of range and magic in my right foot. I ducked its next swing and spun in my crouched state, rising up and swinging my left foot up to its head, having to jump as I did so.

The magic in my foot burst out as a barrier of thunder protecting my foot as it connected with its head, sending it to the floor. I looked at my sword and it exploded in a flash of light, awaiting my call to action. I looked to where Reshka was posted and he understood, firing an arrow that would just miss my head, if I hadn't caught it. I grabbed the arrow backwards and turned the head of it into pure black shadows then swung behind me, turning as I did so and piercing the chest of the shadow stalker as I did so.

Reshka came over and joined me, telling me that I could've just taken out the first one with shadows and made the job much easier, but he understood when I told him that I was in no hurry to use the shadows if not necessary. Reshka asked how we would move the stuff and catch up with a travelling army but I knew what I was doing. I surrounded the remaining items in magical airs and turned them shadowy then took us all to Gilder's location where, unsurprisingly Forlon was roaring orders. Gilder didn't seem surprised to see out abrupt appearance but he and Forlon were about the only ones not surprised, but the commotion stopped within seconds. The army took on the new workload and continued marching, this was kept up for about an hour and a half before we saw the enemy ahead.

The generals came together and we decided that the enemy was too big and the army was too tired to fight them and win, so we decided to send a strike team and spare the army - that was the good news. The bad news was that the team was me, Forlon, Reshka, Gilder and Kora. Five versus an army, the only solace to be had was that it was two more than last time.

Within a half hour we were in a line of five watching the motionless enemy before advancing. We ran, like before and Reshka dropped to his knee again, employing the same technique as before, as he fired his first arrow from his bow I gathered magic and sent it to the arrow, multiplying it into about fifty arrows, instead of one, a useful spell but quite draining. Gilder, Forlon, Kora and me ran side by side until we reached the enemy, Gilder and Forlon charged the same point and started slashing away at the enemy. Kora held back on his running at the last second and corkscrew flipped over the two of them, narrowly dodging an arrow fired by a shadow warrior near the back ranks.

I stopped at the same point that Kora started to held back on his running, I sent my magic through the ground and sent up spikes made from the Earth's soil to cut through the enemies behind the ranks Gilder and Forlon were fighting, clearing a way for Kora to land. I used my magic to super-jump into the dark clouds, putting Kora's corkscrew flip to shame, and came down on top of a dozen shadow warriors, in the precise middle of the ranks, causing maximum dismay among the warriors. Everyplace the vibrations even slightly touched sprouted earthly spikes, shredding the warriors and dragging the dust they left behind into the ground - I wasn't going to let Soul Eater make a surprise appearance.

I stood still as the warriors closed in on me and did what came naturally, I summoned an avatar at each of the compass points, making four in total. Extremely useful but also very draining, I could maybe have kept it up for 5 minutes, certainly not any longer, and that was presuming I didn't use any more magic while they were active.

Each of the avatars went about wreaking havoc with dual blades, I followed the avatar working it's way East - this was the way to the kingdom of evil and therefore where the back ranks stood, meaning the most foes. We stood side by side, I limited the damage done to the avatar, the attacks may have bounced off but these beings of magic were by no means invincible, and it stopped any warrior who even thought about dealing a killing blow to me. I eventually let the avatar continue its journey to the back ranks as I worked my way to the left. I ducked an arrow and sliced the head of its firer. I parried a blow from a sword, kicked the warriors knee out from under him and stuck a whole in his armor, right where is heart would be.

I continued ducking, dodging and causing altogether mayhem for the next minute or so before I managed to join up with the avatar making its way to this part of the enemy. We worked side by side for a while until we reached the end of the army at this side, then it turned to me, nodded and disappeared. I instantly felt the returned magic spread to the three remaining avatars, strengthening them and keeping them going longer. One avatar was almost joined up with Gilder and Forlon who were cutting the enemy down like machines. The other avatar whose side I hadn't stood at was being backed up by Kora who ducked, dodged, rolled and flipped his way into finding opportunities to claim his enemies life.

I looked at the remaining avatar who i'd helped and saw he had cleared the Eastern ranks, he too turned to me, gave a nod, but before he released himself shadows pierced his chest, his magic returning to me regardless, but what stood in the avatars place, alone on the eastern point was a beast unlike any i'd ever seen. I took to calling it a 'shadow beast' for lack of a better name. It was like a tiger but twice as big, about half the size of my avatar. It was jet black upon its back rode a shadow stalker, the source of the shadows that had killed my avatar.

I used the air and rushed towards the shadow beast, close enough for physical contact and ducked under its unsurprisingly sharp teeth. I would have sliced upwards into its neck but the smell of its breath forced me to recoil and roll outwards. It pursued me and I jumped through its mouth as it bit, narrowly missing the possibility of losing my legs and came out in a roll on the other side. I expanded my mind with magic and looked into the shadow beasts mind, not a nice experience, the only things on its mind were killing me and obeying its master, but I dug and found the information I was looking for, this thing could indeed by killed by any magic, not just shadow magic. Although its rider was a different matter.

The shadow beast made to bite my head off but was abruptly stopped by an arrow into its front left paw, toppling it. This was all the opportunity I needed. I held my sword in both hands outstretched to my left and ran parallel to the beasts soft stomach, cutting it open and watching the unfortunate sight of its guts spill out, although the beast still thrashed. I sent my sword away in an explosion of light and gathered fire in my left hand, I cupped it into my right and expanded the fire into both hands then twisted my body and sent a constant stream of first into the cut open chest of the shadow beast, not stopping until I saw the whole thing turn into a pool of shadow that started to sink into the ground.

As it did this the shadow stalker sent a spear of shadow that clipped my left shoulder and sent me onto my back. I used my control over water to levitate the shadowy pool left by the shadow beast and sent it into the head of the shadow stalker, who failed to side step. The pool splattered over him and the rest sinked into the ground, and I watched as the shadow stalker's head slowly burnt away and it slowly turned into wisps of shadow.

I stood up and sent magic into my shoulder, using more to numb the excruciating pain. I looked to Gilder and Forlon who had finished clearing their foes and were heading to Kora's aid, not that he needed it. The avatar working with Gilder and Forlon released itself and I absorbed its magic. I manually released the avatar working with Kora and retrieved it's magic, it was no longer needed. Reshka, Forlon, Gilder and Kora diminished their foes within a minute as I checked my should was alright and cleared up remaining dust. When every last speck had gone I used the air to instantly propel myself to my allies who'd gathered together and were heading back to the army, who were slowly marching to our position to.

About five minutes away from impact with the rebellion Gilder stopped and announced we'd rest here for the night. The rebellion arrived in double the time it would've taken to join up had we kept walking and setup camp, just a small one in comparison to the one we had before we set out in the morning, but enough for us to get a decent nights sleep, but I was too spent of energy to really care where exactly we slept.

Gilder pulled his seemingly usual trick and pulled all the high ranking rebellion members into his main tent, and yet again everyone was too tired to talk any real business excluding Reshka and Gilder, of course. Although it seemed everyone had learnt something from the last meeting and had not bothered going to sleep this time.

"Welcome everybody" Gilder announced and was given a low toned grunt by everyone in the room as his reply

"We have two new types of enemy now, a shadow stalker and a shadow beast" (it was nice to see the name caught on)"i'm not exactly an expert on these two foes so i'll pass you over to someone who is, Makto" Gilder said, gesturing at me.

I stood next to him and decided to announce what I knew to the rebellion leaders

"The shadow stalkers are what attacked us two nights ago, but that was a prototype, killed easily, these perfected versions can be killed only by shadow magic, nothing else. So unless you have some hidden shadow magic within you i'd suggest keeping your distance and alerting me, or any other magicians that may become apparent in the future, and we'll deal with them, you can not kill them." I stopped a while and tried to see if anyone was actually listening. My question was answered when a captain near the back asked a question

"I thought you couldn't do any shadow magic without training" he commented

"Things change" I told him, letting the air around me turn dark with shadows, making Gilder take a step back, but he didn't take back his place next to me when I let the shadows die away.

"The other type of enemy is the shadow beast, you'll know one when you see one. From what I found out magic is not required to kill these things, but in a one on one fight with them it's unlikely you'll come out on top, i'd recommend any archers to take some head shots at them, though it'll probably take a few to make the beast fall." With that I stepped back to my previous position beside Reshka and Forlon and listened to Gilder.

"Forlon," he said "notify the troops of Makto's information before we depart, in the morning" Forlon grunted in acceptance

"Good, now dismissed" Gilder finished and the high ranking officers departed.

This night I had nothing in particular to discuss with Gilder so I departed with Forlon, Reshka and the other high ranking members of the rebellion, excluding one or two generals who stayed behind to talk with Gilder. I met with Kora outside the main tent and we compared some notes on how the fight went as I walked back to his tent with him. He gave me some advice on maybe improving my avatars, get them to use magic and learn techniques, but I didn't know how to even attempt that so I just told him i'd give it a try.

When we arrived at his tent he went inside and I stood there staring up at the stars for a minute or two and by the time I decided to head back to my own tent I could already hear snoring from inside Kora's tent and I couldn't help but crack a smile and chuckle. I used the air to propel myself through the small camp and into my tent to find Forlon using my entrance as 'an example of the current day abuse of magical powers'.

Forlon spent about twenty minutes practising some new techniques and wishing that the rebellion could catch on to swordsmanship as quick as he did when he didn't even know how to hold a sword. Me and Reshka tried to keep our laughs quite so not to disturb him and make us the subject of his rant, but inevitably he heard us and he couldn't help but go on about how disrespectful we were of him. But in the end even he ended up laughing at his own rant, but I doubt that stopped him blaming us too much, we were probably so stupid that we were making him laugh, or thats probably how his mind viewed it.

When I struggled to sleep later that night I used the shadows to transport me to the outskirts of the camp, just out of sight and then had a peaceful walk down to the river. I sat on the banks for about 10 minutes before I heard footsteps, as they grew closer I readied the shadows and appeared behind the person, grabbing his neck and dropping him to the floor, my sword at his throat a second later.

To my great surprise the person was Gilder, who knew he liked a bit of peace in his otherwise hectic life. Like earlier I had nothing particular to say to him so I just asked him what he was doing down here. After a heart warming discussion about how this river runs through his hometown to the South I was charged with the task of telling him we couldn't visit his home, due to the fact it was out of our way and Soul Eater would put every life in his home village in danger the second we stepped foot there. Gilder put up a good fight against logic but couldn't deny it forever and eventually agreed with me, but hung his head in disappointment.

I walked on the water of the river and crossed over, giving Gilder some time to gather his thoughts to himself as I took a stroll through the forrest next to the river, it was a fairly uninteresting place with few wildlife and a few clearings here and there. I decided to turn back as he end of the forrest was in sight and walk back towards the river, I figured just before I cam in sight of the camp i'd take myself back towards my tent using magic. I got to the river and I saw Gilder heading up hill towards his camp, I could've called him back but I was too tired for a meaningful conversation with anyone right now and I just stood on the river, staring at the looming kingdom of evil, getting closer each day.

I did a one-hundred-and-eighty degree turn on the river and magically enhanced my eyesight, and I could just make out the outline of the stronghold i'd entered this world in, and stationed there were some of the rebellion, who would be getting ready to move out about the same time as us in the morning, about double the men we had left now. They'd probably join with us in just under a week, about the same time another battalion would set off to join with us, as far as the rebellion was concerned this was the final push, we either fought and defeated Soul Eater this time or we lost all hope, the rebellion leader, the last magician and anyone remotely important to the rebellions upkeep.

This was the last try and with the kingdom of evil coming forever closer to us we couldn't afford to had doubts, but even so I needed more power to even have a chance at winning this fight, but i'd get it. Somehow. With gloomy thoughts inside my head I utilised the shadows and appeared inside my tent, Reshka and Forlon were sleeping like children and I decided to try and follow their lead.

The only thing on my mind was the next day, and what it held, nothing else mattered to me, just my future and the future of this world.

A somehow selfishly selfless act


	10. Chapter 10 Kneel to the Power

Trio of War - Chapter 10 - Kneel to the power

By the time I woke the next morning half the camp was already packed up, and by the time I left my tent soldiers were starting to dismantle it. I wondered why they were packing up the smaller tents when Gilder's main tent was still standing tall less than a metre away from me. I stood for about a minute watching the soldiers rush about before I looked over to Gilder's tent and saw Kora leaving, looking relieved.

I called him over and asked him why he had seemed so happy when leaving the tent

"Things are getting pretty heated in there" he told me

"Forlon?" I asked, figuring it couldn't be anyone else

"Yea," Kora said, seeming depressed at the sound of his name "he's far too rash for any sort of debate"

"Welcome to my world" I said and headed into the main tent. I knew that the tent was in a state of violence from the mood in the air when I entered, but just incase I didn't realise it, a sword that embedded its self in the floor next to my left foot was a big enough sign.

I saw instantly that the sword had come from some general's hand after he'd tried threatening Forlon, a mistake he only realised after Forlon had disarmed him and put his sword to his throat. The tent stood in silence, no one daring to make a move. To get things moving I decided to pick up the sword and stab it into Gilder's chair, managing to pass everyone in the room stealthily without giving it too much effort.

Everyone looked round and Forlon sheathed his sword. The general caught my eye, silently asking if he should retrieve his sword, to which I shook my head.

"What's got everyone so worked up" I asked pleasantly

"A simple misunderstanding" Gilder told me. Forlon scoffed and spoke up

"This idiot thinks we should split up-"

"I only advised it as a possible option to lead multiple units, it was never issued as an order, barely even recommended" The general chipped in. He made a silent decision not to speak anymore when Forlon stared at him until he looked away/

Gilder told him he was dismissed and I threw him his sword, but told him to be careful who he pointed it at. Kora re-entered the tent and caught my eye, he seemed to have sensed the mood in here and obviously didn't want to spend anymore time in here then he had to. He observed Gilder for a second then spoke

"We'll be ready to move out in five minutes" He told him

"Good" Gilder replied, not wasting anytime to move out of the tent. Kora didn't waste anytime following him and leaving the three of us to work something out.

"An overreaction to a simple suggestion don't you think?" I asked Forlon

"Not at all," he readjusted his sword belt "I needed to teach him to say things like that"

"What's with the kid?" Reshka asked me, bypassing the scene in the tent entirely

"Kora?" I asked "just an ally"

"He thinks highly of you," Reshka calculated "He looks at you for lead, despite being in a position of leadership himself"

"The guy can't be much older than we were when we went to war. He needs a role model, and if it wasn't me then it would've been Gilder, and how hard would it be when his secret came out? When Gilder tells people of his power he needs his second in command to at least have a clear mind, and thats not going to be very likely if he looks up to Gilder" I reasoned

"I doubt it'll settle well with him anyway," Reshka retorted "but I guess thats as good a reason as any. Just remember, Makto, he's an ally, not one of us. His life is to be saved as any other soldiers, but not at a high cost."

I nodded in reply and used the shadows to take me to the edge of the camp, a small distance that would've taken no more than a minute to walk, but I wasn't really feeling to clear-headed and didn't want to spend any time alone with my thoughts. I rushed over to the soldiers packing up the last of the supplies and gave them a hand. I stopped when I recognised Gilder's navigator, and went to his side as he finished a fairly menial conversation with a regular soldier. I told him that he should go confer with Reshka and draw up some predictions as to when we would next be encountering our foe, and he rushed off to do as I asked of him.

I worked my way down to the river to the south of the camp and sat where I had the previous night. I sat there for half an hour and listened to the sounds of the rebellion moving on and stayed there for about five minutes after I could no longer hear the sounds of the mobilising army and their departure. Then I stood up and walked onto the lake, came off the other side and gathered the shadows the trees to send me to the army.

I appeared next to Reshka who was walking and talking with Gilder at the head of the rebellion, telling him we'd encounter some resistance sometime within the next two hours, but when in that time he didn't know. I joined his pace as he sent Gilder to convene with his navigator. He didn't even peek my way until after he asked

"Have a nice time, Makto?"

"Didn't exactly thrill me, but it was peaceful" I replied "Encounter any danger?"

"We saw a shadow stalker as we left the camp but it disappeared when some of us drew the drew weapons, but I don't believe for a second that it was scared of us. I tried explaining that to the men, but they barely listened to me, they think that they can kill a shadow stalker as easily as any regular shadow warrior." Reshka told me

"Well at least it didn't cause any trouble" I said optimistically

"I wouldn't say that just yet" Reshka said bluntly

"Why not?" I said, readying myself for a possible fight

"The forrest to our left," Reshka said as I looked into it "I can't see anything at the moment but I saw a number of shadow stalkers there and a creature that I presume is a shadow beast, i'd say we have a mini army in there, ready to ambush us if we run into any resistance up ahead"

I left Reshka to create a plan to get us out of the predicament we were most likely in, I didn't doubt for a second what he thought he saw. I didn't like putting the lives of so many people in his hands but there was nothing I could do, I could create a good battle plan, but not on Reshka's level, he'd look further into the future than I could and predict a way to counter whatever danger faced us. I met with Forlon who was frightening some soldiers into working faster, although it baffled me what they could be working on, considering they were just walking. I told Forlon what Reshka had told me and he told me that the only plan he could think of was simple, I use my shadow magic to deal with the shadow stalkers (he didn't know how i'd sort that) while he dealt with the shadow beast (which we were both confident he could beat).

I tried telling him that his plan lacked true structure and logic but since I didn't see a better plan on the horizon I had to agree it was what we'd try and do, should I not be able to confer with Reshka before a battle took place. I marched with Forlon and talked unimportant matters for thirty minutes before attempting to return to Reshka's side but getting delayed by Kora, who needed a quick morale boost to deal with the upcoming enemy. I decided not to let loose the information that we would most likely be ambushed if we got into a fight, I doubted it would raise his spirits. I also decided to tell him that I wasn't completely sure that shadow stalkers could only be killed by shadow magic, though I didn't really believe that, and I told him not to fight them, on the likely chance the information was true.

I returned to Reshka's side about an hour and fifteen minutes after I last talked to him and his plan was mainly the same as Forlons, fight as best we could. We just kept walking for the next twenty minutes and just waited for the enemy to come in sight, and eventually and inevitably they did. Gilder shared a look with Reshka and then led his army to the shadow warriors up ahead. Me, Reshka, Forlon and Kora looked at each other then broke for the forrest. Kora caught up to me and asked me why we were running from the enemy and I told him the truth. He looked scared but didn't back down, I didn't know him very well but he made me proud to know him.

Just beyond the edge of the forrest we saw our enemy, a grand total of twelve shadow stalkers and five shadow beasts, none of the shadow beasts had riders but I highly doubted that would stop them killing us. Reshka drew his bow and notched an arrow, he let it loose and I used magic to turn the head into living shadows, dismantling a shadow stalker as it hit. Kora flanked to the right and scaled a tree in seconds, flipping off a branch and onto a shadow beast, as he drew his sword, ready to stick it into the beasts head I extended my magic and turned the blade of his sword into arrows, and the same with Forlon's as he charged a shadow stalker, turning it into shadow wisps. A quick enchantment on Reshka's bow turned all his fired arrows into shadow capable of killing shadow stalkers.

I jumped into the fight and summoned dual swords to my hands, coated in shadows. By the time I reached the enemy only eight shadow stalkers remained but all five shadow beasts remained, but Kora had one battered and bruised and was closing in for the kill. I narrowly side-stepped a sword strike by a shadow stalker and treated in to my boot. He took a step back and I took his head. I got slammed in the face by a shadow beast knocking me as it took a fist to the face from Forlon, officially the only man I knew who can stand toe to toe with a shadow beast using only his hands. I recoiled and fell onto a shadow stalker who was taken down by an arrow to the the small of its back.

Forlon narrowly missed losing his head by a shadow beast but before it had a chance to follow up it had a bolt of magical thunder strike it, straight from my hands. It was about to turn to me and rip my head off had Forlon not recovered his sword and slashed its head, I then slashed its leg with both my blades and stabbed in through the chest and it lived no more. Kora was done with his beast and took the life of a shadow stalker as he rolled past its side, swept its legs from under it and casually stabbed it through the chest as he looked around for a new foe.

Reshka let lose an arrow straight into the eye of another shadow beast, it threw its head back and I used the air to push myself forward and kept the momentum as I delivered an uppercut with my right hand to the half-blind shadow creatures head. It threw its head back again and as it came forward I thrust one of my swords into its snout and the other claimed its other eye. Yet somehow being blind didn't stop this creature putting up a fight, it threw me away by shaking its head, leaving one of my swords in its snout and the other flashed in bright light and disappeared in mid air as I lost grip on it. It must've had a good sense of hearing as it knew directly where I was as it charged at me. I dodged right and gathered thunder in my hands.

It tried to charge me again and I let lose the thunder, pushing the sword in its snout further in until it reached its brain. I was about to retrieve it as the creature turned into a shadowy coloured pool of acidic liquid before I was pushed back by darkened air around me. I looked as I fell and saw a shadow stalker closing in on me. I utilised the shadows around me and as soon as I hit the ground I rolled onto my feet and transported behind my assailant, covering my fist with shadows I delivered a right fist to its gut, sending it into the air as wisps of shadows. I looked around and only one shadow stalker remained, along with two shadow beasts.

The shadow stalker was about to mount to the shadow beast when an arrow struck it in midair, it was moving to fast and was only hit from the side, meaning the blow wasn't fatal but it landed on the floor with a thud, as it regained its balance on its feet Kora leaped from a tree and knocked the stalker to the floor. He then smacked the arrow with the smooth end of his sword, sending it further through the stalkers arm and into the chest, sending the shadow stalker into the air around it. Forlon narrowly missed hitting the shadow beast in its head and backed up. As it charged I sent a ball of fire into its face which misdirected it and sent it crashing into a tree, where Forlon claimed its soon liquidated head.

Reshka whistled from outside the forrest and Forlon shared a word with Kora then they both ran to the aid of Gilder's army in the main fight, behind Reshka. As Forlon departed he looked back and stared at the remaining shadow beast and called to me

"You can have that one, Makto, but you owe me". I did feel a little disappointed that my comrades had left my side but I knew it was for the best, and I had little time to dwell on it.

The beast charged and I used the air to levitate my sword in the pool of shadows now sinking into the ground and bring it to me, stabbing the beast in the front right foot on its way. As I retrieved the first of my swords the other one flashed into existence in my other hand and I used the air to flip over the beast. I stuck my swords into the ground beside me as the beast charged again and pumped my muscles with magic. As the beast neared I crouched under its attempt to bit my head off and used both my hands to pick it up, over my head, and sent it back first into a tree. It laid there for a second as I retrieved my swords and threw them, flanking to the trees right and left, using magic to direct them to the back of the tree, bring it down on the beasts head. I stared at the destruction the four of us had caused and used magic to bring one of Reshka's shadow tipped arrows to my hand.

I used the shadows and sent myself to a position in front of Reshka, Forlon and Kora running. I stood there as they ran past me and joined their pace.

"Thanks for leaving me, guys" I said sarcastically

"No problem" Kora chuckled

"You can handle yourself" Forlon told me, which was probably the best I would get. I threw Reshka the arrow i'd collected as we neared the enemy and he notched it in his bow. The enchantment on Reshka's bow was dwindling my magic, as was the enchantment on Forlon and Kora's blades so I removed them as they were no longer needed.

Reshka fired the arrow and I coated its shadowy tip with thunder as it flew towards the enemy. The impact was monstrous, it found every beast without a beating heart in a massive radius and destroyed them, shadow spread first, paralysing everything without a heartbeat and then thunder followed a fraction of a second later, turning them to dust. Gilder let loose a smile as he saw us rushing to the head of the fight, beside him, but let it fall again as he thrust his sword into an enemies chest, turning it to shadowy dust.

I tried summoning my swords to my hands but when I couldn't I realised that they must still be in the forrest. Letting out a curse I gave a magically enhanced right hook to a warriors face, watching as his form crumbled. I then moved back and mingled in with the rebellion. When I was deep in allied soldiers I concentrated and directed my magic to the forrest, a second later I could vaguely make out the form of two swords flying of of the forrest, above the trees. I used the air to send me upwards and snatched the swords out of the sky. As I landed I softened the ground to cushion my fall. I headed back to the frontline and saved some soldiers life by pushing him out of the way of a fatal sword slash, I then tripped up the warrior and left him for the soldier i'd helped to finish.

I ducked a bow from a warrior to my left and used my blade to slice open his chest, gave a fatal stab to a warrior to my right, and had one in front of me snatched away by a deadly arrow, I presumed that was Reshka's doing. I made a weak shield around skin, not enough to stop serious damage but it would make a fatal blow less deadly, possibly saving my life. I claimed the head of another foe and kept working my way through the army, I needed little magic and stood side by side with Forlon most of the fight. Swinging wildly taking countless foes down and nearly being killed a dozen times. When the last of the foes were all but gone I turned the air shadowy and knocked them onto their backs, me and Forlon started to walk away as the rebellion prepared to take them down. That's when they just disappeared.

Everyone was in a state of confusion as they reappeared standing on their feet again a few metres ahead of us. Everyone rushed forward as they all blended together and mutated, into a flickering form of someone I never wanted to see again…

Soul Eater.

The evil magician stood there an observed us all as soldiers drew their weapons and tried to slash him down. Then his form stopped flickering and the blades no longer went through him but bounced off him, thats how I knew he was in the flesh this time. He greeted us all as the soldiers stopped trying to kill him. I knew we wouldn't get the best of him so easily this time and was trying to formulate a plan inside my head of how I could take him down, but was enjoying no success. As his mouth opened and I presumed he was about to tell us all why he had appeared but I had no intention of listening to what he had to say.

I turned the shadows around me into a fist of darkness and sent it straight into Soul Eater who didn't see it coming and recoiled. He turned the ground upwards and sent it straight at me. I summoned a strong field of magic which dissolved the ground before it could hit me.I shot Reshka a look and he quickly conferred with Gilder and got the rebellion moving forward. Soul Eater sent a beam of red energy into my chest which sent me all the way back intuit he forrest. He appeared next to me, too distracted by me to deal with the fact that the rebellion were moving quickly. I rolled to my feet as a tree came tumbling down crushing the ground where I laid. I scaled another tree and jumped to one adjacent as that too came tumbling down.

I crouched still on a branch and found Soul Eater in a clearing. He looked around and didn't seem to be able to find me. I sensed his anger and used magic to render myself invisible. Then Soul Eater lost whatever sense he had and started dismantling the forrest, bringing down trees every way he could to try and flush me out. When he, inevitably, brought down the tree I was on I rolled on the ground and used the shadows to send me up another tree. As it came down I leaped off it and got rid of my invisibility spell as I fell from above. Soul Eater stopped using his magic to bring down the forrest long enough to sense me falling from above, but not soon enough to stop me. I put my feet together and landed firmly on his face, setting my feet on fire before it connected.

I backflipped off him and used the air to pick up a fallen tree. As Soul Eater recovered he received a fully formed tree trunk straight into his chest. He fell back again and I saw his eyes roll back in his head. I summoned one of my blades in an explosion of light and drove it towards his chest. Just as it would've pierced his heart it bounced away instead. I powered the blade with every drop of magic I could and it still wouldn't pierce his heart or take his head. I tried to use the tree trunk to crush his head but it still wouldn't harm him. In the end I decided I wouldn't be able to kill him and instead decided to delay him. I grabbed his arm and used the shadows to take me to the river i'd walked on. I walked upon it again and chucked his body in it (not before i'd punched him in the face though). I scanned his thoughts and found nothing interesting, he couldn't drown due to his magical protections but that wasn't my intention anyway.

I knelt down on the riverside and placed my hand on the river and coated it with ice. I knew a village was further up the river so I only turned a cube of the river into ice, it stretched as far as I could see up and down the river. I tested my magic against it and didn't make a scratch, from my best predictions searching Soul Eater's mind it'd take him a good ten minutes to break out of the icy prison, as well as how long it took him to wake up (a good few hours I predicted). I sat there for a while wondering how we'd ever take town an enemy who I couldn't kill with all my power available. I let the shadows float into the ice, turning it pure black, hopefully it would disorientate Soul Eater for a little extra time.

With that I utilised the remaining shadows and sent myself to the rebellion. Matching the pace of Kora, Gilder, Reshka and Forlon. Forlon was first to notice me and asked me what had happened

"I managed to incapacitate him and keep him imprisoned for the next few hours." was my reply "When he escapes, which he will, he'll head back to his kingdom and re-plan. But we should march as far and fast as we can until deep into the night, we'll encounter no resistance with Soul Eater unable to conjure up any foes. This is our chance to gain some real ground"

Gilder nodded and spoke with his army, the marching pace upped rapidly. When he returned I told the group of how I was unable to take Soul Eater's life and that I didn't know how to improve my magic so that I could. Forlon seemed fairly confident that if he kept slicing Soul Eater's neck he'd lose his head eventually. Reshka just trusted we'd find a way, while Gilder and Kora just told me that we'd find out the answer eventually. I wasn't so sure that we would but I didn't really have any other choice than just continuing onwards so I kept my feelings to myself.

Night fell and we continued to walk. Eventually we set up camp as the moon was high in the sky. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful, we setup a small camp, sat down to eat and then headed to our assigned tents. Before I went to mine I found Gilder and asked him if he'd be calling us all into his tent tonight, he said he wouldn't and I got a fair amount of sleep, not too bad to say that i'd gone toe to toe with an evil magician who was almost as strong as a god. However when I woke up I didn't have the pleasure of an enjoyable morning.

My first clue that something was wrong was when a sword planted itself into some supplies inches from me as I got out of my tent. That's when I saw a thin, tall me with dual black blades in a suit of black armor. He'd obviously thrown the blade as a warning shot and was intent on telling me something. I walked over to a wide space at the edge of camp as people gathered around, bows and arrows aimed at his head. He seemed surprisingly calm and eyed me as I approached. Reshka and Forlon stood at my flanks as the tall man spoke.

"Kneel before the power of Soul Eater" he said and an arrow was stopped by a magical forcefield he erected around him.

The army let loose arrows as Reshka shook his head. Every arrow was stopped by the magical field except for the occasional one that missed. When all arrows had been fired and the archers were reloading he threw his swords into the ground next to each other and looked at me, he waited until the archers had notched their arrows before speaking

"I challenge you to mortal combat" he said, never taking his eyes off me. Everyone looked at where he was looking and couldn't help but smirk. They thought the idea of someone who they viewed as a hero and who had fought Soul Eater and lived to tell the tale (word spread quickly) was laughable.

"What's your name" I asked the man

"Drok" he replied

"No surname?" I quizzed

"I could ask you the same question" he replied "as for mine, it is a mystery to me as well as you"

"Why do you serve Soul Eater?" I asked him

"I do not" he replied "I just see how his victory is inevitable, resistance is futile"

"I can tell we haven't met" Forlon chipped in

"I know each of you by name and will take all three of you down, in turn" he replied, unfazed by Forlon's killer stare

"Why start with me?" I questioned

"Look around" he gestured "this rebellion views me as a joke, I will prove my point"

I summoned one of my blades in a blast of light at took up a fighting position

"How did you obtain magic?" I asked him "Did Soul Eater create you?"

"No, I snuck up to his fortress and into his castle, he placed a stone at the door, I touched it and landed in my home village. With magic" he finished

"You owe him nothing then" I reasoned "fight alongside us and we can win" he looked away from me and into the sky.

"Makto," he said, his gaze returning to me "if you prove to me that your cause is true, that you can honour the challenge I have made, a fight to death and manage to keep your own life as well as someone who those around you despise at this moment I will join your cause without a shred of doubt. Not one inch of my body will think about anything other than Soul Eater's demise"

"Hold a sec" Kora intervened, making his way to the front of the spectators "you're saying that if Makto can end your life, thus ending the fight to the death you caused, and have both of you alive at the end of it, you'll join us?"

"Exactly" Drok replied

"Good luck with that then" Kora replied sarcastically

Drok took up a fighting position and used magic to pry his swords out of the ground, he took one up in each hand and charged. As he did so I sent mine back into nothingness and turned each of my hands as hard as steel, batting away a slash of each of his swords with my strengthened hands. He tried to sweep my feet but I delivered a punch to his gut with my still hardened hands and he doubled over. I picked him up with the air around me and sent him backwards a fair way, meaning that collateral damage to the rebellion would be lessened.

He rolled onto his legs and threw his sword from his right hand, running behind it as he did so. I batted the sword away and ducked another sword, but this one he'd set on fire. As his sword returned to his hand I commented on his magical prowess but he didn't reply, he just sent lightning at my face. I didn't know if it was his lack of social skill in a fight or repeatedly trying to kill me but something got me annoyed. I caught the lightning and he drove his sword towards my chest. It would've pierced my heart had I not sent the lightning in my hand to the spot his sword hit. Sparks flew and lightning travelled down his sword, it would've shocked his hand but he disarmed it with his mind before it caused damaged.

He set his swords on fire and drove them towards my head, but by the time they were near me i'd used the shadows to travel far away. He saw me in the distance and began running towards me. That was when I used the shadows to appear beside him and uppercut him as he ran, using his momentum to take him to the floor. He pushed on the air and sent me onto my back but I rolled and got up before he caused damage. He lunged at me and I brought my swords to my hands, parried his attack and slashed his upper arm. He didn't show any sign of pain but he fought with new ferocity. He had great magical potential but he obviously hadn't practiced too much.

He sent fire at me followed by a stream of thunder. I dismantled his magic with the shadows and closed the gap between us. When he lunged at me again I caught his sword with mine and sent my other one away in a flash of light. He tried to take my head with his other blade but I caught it in my hand and looked into his eyes. He didn't say anything to me but I didn't need him to. I looked up to the sky then back into his eyes and said

"Look behind you, Drok" this could have easily been a trick but after holding my gaze he decided it wasn't and turned around in time to be smacked square in the face by my newly summoned avatar.

He fell to the floor and took his time getting back up, the only reason way he was still conscious was because of the magical potential he contained, any other person would've been knocked out cold. I released my avatar and trapped Drok in a barrier of air and levitated him above the ground. He didn't have enough magic to break free and I pointed my sword to his heart.

"This is where our fight ends, Drok" I told him

He somehow managed to get free and lunge at me, I caught his sword with me free hand, twisted myself so we were back to back and then released his sword, turned around and sent a blade of shadows towards his neck. He saw them coming and widened his eyes but didn't have enough magic left to summon a strong barrier, and thus the shadows took his head from his shoulders. Thats when my brain went into overload. Seven seconds till brain death, he didn't have enough magic to repair himself at his current skill level and he was probably panicking out of his mind anyway.

I used the air to press his body and head together and sent all my magic coursing through his severed neck to try and reattach his head. I felt like passing out but kept the magic flow coursing. After nearly six seconds the flow stopped and excess magic flowed back into me but I still had to fight to keep myself conscious. Drok sat up, retrieved his dual swords as I sent mine away and he spoke

"I was dead?" he asked

"Yes" I told him "Ending our fight to the death. If you want to initiate another one go ahead, but I won't be able to restore life to your husk of a body again. So if you plan on honouring your words and joining us do it now, before you get taken down and stay down" Drok stared at me a while then nodded

"Good" I told him, turning and walking away "familiarise yourself with the rebellion leaders, Forlon, Reshka, Gilder and Kora especially, then drop by my tent and we can teach you some rudimentary magic"

"Sure" Drok said, putting life into his dead morale like I had his body

"Oh, and Drok?"

"Yes?"

"Welcome to the rebellion"

"Thanks"

I told Reshka to show Drok around and introduce him to important people, not that I knew many of myself, I didn't give the duty to Forlon as he had an army to scare and I didn't trust him to not harm Drok. Drok was only seventeen and the boy was tapped of magic and energy, that's what dying will do to you, and I didn't like the idea of him being around Forlon while he was defenceless and wouldn't last five seconds. I made arrangements with Kora to teach Drok some basic manoeuvrability in battle (a little like he'd done with me, but without the fancy flips) the next day. I doubted Drok could take that much today after dying, and I planned on giving him little rest in our magical session, so I decided to leave Kora's training until tomorrow. I'd also planned some planning in battle from Reshka the next day and, from Forlon (though I hadn't informed Forlon yet) some sword skills for battle, but from what i'd witnessed he had decent skill with a sword anyway. I imagine Forlon knew that to but he'd never tell anyone, not even me or Reshka.

I helped out Forlon with training the rebellion so he was able to shout at the ones he thought were doing best privately (although everyone in the camp could still here him) and I have no idea what I said but I got Forlon to agree to train Drok in some sword skills, I imagine it was for his own benefit in battle, not Drok's, but I took it and ran, knowing I wouldn't get any better. With arrangements made for Drok's training I headed to my tent and got some rest. Soon after I woke Drok entered and I welcome him. He sat down and I began to walk out of the tent, when he asked me what he should do I told him to rest and he did. I went about getting Gilder to notify the troops of Drok's new devotion to the cause and making sure he had a tent setup for the next place we would be stopping.

I also asked how long we'd be staying in this particular spot and was told we'd be moving out at the crack of dawn. With nothing to really do I headed to Kora who I found sharpening his skills alone at the opposite end of the camp to the main trainees. He seemed to prefer to be alone when he wasn't with people he knew too well. He smiled as he saw me approaching and made a mental not of what to teach me. I let him believe that I needed his long explanation on what I was learning, to boost his charisma mainly, didn't want him breaking down if he gave a speech to the rebellion. After a fairly challenging lesson with Kora we sparred for a little while then sat down as Kora became tired.

He seemed fairly gloomy so I inquired about his mood, not that I really needed to, when I saw the look on his face I read his mind and found out what he was thinking of. When we came to a standstill in a fairly menial conversation I just came out of the blue

"Yes" I said

"What?" He asked

"I can read your mind, you know, and the answer is yes. If you died and I had the magic within me to restore your life I would. I don't know wether i'm offended that you think I wouldn't or curious as to why you didn't ask me in the first place" I told him

"It's not exactly the nicest thing to talk about" he argued "I don't usually think about things that will happen when I die"

"You should have kept it that way" I told him "trust me, it makes it a lot easier"

I left Kora to speak with Gilder and Reshka about whatever it was they discussed most of the day, but I did tell Kora to watch out for Gilder's planning table if he'd repaired it yet, i'm sure that someone would lose it if the table went down again, but i'd probably be too busy laughing to notice who it was. Drok came to me as I was pondering where about to go and practice my magic. I told him that he still needed something to eat before we trained, I didn't want to push someone who'd died in the last twenty-four hours too hard. He nodded to me and went off to watch Gilder and Reshka decide what we'd be doing next, I doubt he'd understand any of it but it would be good for him to watch.

I practiced some shadow magic and learned a few new tricks with the elements, I also worked on resizing some objects, useful for multiple purposes. When I got tired and my magical reserves were depleted I went for a wander around camp, I got asked a few times about where Drok's allegiance truly lied burt I did my best impression of Forlon's 'scare away soldier' look after I told them he was with us. Other than those occasional disturbances I didn't have any other distractions, a general did ask me for orders at one point and I pointed him in Forlon's direction, probably not the smartest idea but even the best of us need help at times.

I raised the ground and made a chair from the risen ground, a neat little trick that required little magic. I sat down and stared into space, spending time with my thoughts until it was time to eat. I sat next to my usual comrades and watched Kora confidentially take his seat next to Gilder, getting a distrusting look from a general at the other side of Gilder. Kora caught my eye and I gave him an ego-boosting smile. Drok came and sat opposite to me, clamping Forlon's mouth shut and making Reshka take a moment away from his thoughts to give Drok a casual scan. After a few seconds of that he seemed satisfied but didn't take his eyes off Drok for a second.

I greeted Drok as I would any other friend and asked him how he was feeling

"Quite confused" he admitted "planning isn't really my comfort zone"

"Well you better be ready to come out of your comfort zone tomorrow" Reshka informed him, as genuine advice, not criticism

"I'll try" Drok promised "just don't go expecting me to be spending my days drawing up maps" Reshka chuckled and informed him that planning and navigating were different things, which made Drok chuckle too

"Why are you here?" Forlon asked sourly

"Even you're not that dumb" Drok answered with venom. Forlon's eyes widened at the sight of a kid answering back to him, but in that moment I saw Drok was no fool. He'd seen people like Forlon before, demanding respect and never showing any in return, even to their heroes. He knew the only way to get to Forlon was to stand out, to stand up

"Good kid" Forlon said, backing down, I imagined he was breaking Drok in easily. I checked his mug for some sort of magical spell, Forlon wasn't known for his kindness

Drok seemed a little pleased with himself but didn't go overboard, he stayed humble. We discussed his current magical limitations and what paths of magic he had explored, his experience was very limited but open to great boosts of power. The one question that was on my mind I hadn't yet asked, because I hadn't decided wether or not I wanted to teach it. Would Drok become a Shadow-Wielder?

He already knew my ability with the shadows when I used it in our battle, covering distances wouldn't be something he'd forget, and even if he did, I highly doubted that he would forget the type of magic that removed his head from his shoulders. Although I did surprise even myself with the ferocity of the shadow magic I used to take Drok's head. The only thing i'd decided about Drok's training was that i'd start by teaching him some emergency healing magic. I wouldn't be able to teach him the magic to bring himself, or others back to life, even my abilities on that subject were limited. If i'd driven a hole in Drok's heart instead of taking his head I doubted that i'd be able to bring him back. Surprisingly healing a lost head was one of the easiest fatal injuries to repair. But if Drok was to learn that it'd need great practice on his part in his time and instinct. I could teach the basics but he'd need to gain skill in them and use them on instinct to have the slightest chance of tricking death.

After teaching him some healing I thought teaching an avatar to him was the way to go. He admitted that after he got hit in the face by mine he had a headache, up until the part he could no longer feel his head. After that i'd probably teach him more of throwing fire and streams of thunder, possibly some magically enhanced strength, then he could practice those for a few days and rely on his skills from Forlon and Kora for other methods of defence. If Drok asked to learn the path of the shadows i'd first teach him some basic shadow magic that didn't require embracing the shadows and then, if he showed promise teach him how to embrace the shadows. But there was no mistake in my mind, if I thought there was any chance that Drok would become obsessed by the magic of the shadows and get corrupted I would place a magical block inside his mind, rejecting the shadows upon any attempt to embrace them.

I knew Drok respected me and trusted my judgement but I wouldn't rely on his trust in me to stop him gaining near limitless powers from corruption of the shadows. I had to admit that it was tempting in itself to accept the power of the shadows but the one thing that stopped me was the simple fact that I wouldn't feel it. To achieve such power i'd have to fully embrace the shadows and become corrupted in my soul by them. Power that I wouldn't know wasn't worth my very essence the only advantage i'd get was the freedom of feeling nothing till my heart finally stopped beating. A prize worth abandoning everyone and everything I knew, I didn't believe so. Added on to that, if Drok embraced the shadows i'd have to put him down, and although I didn't have full confidence in my abilities as a teacher I was sure i'd be teaching him some magic worth a great fight against any opponent (excluding maybe Soul Eater) and added to the skills he would be taught by my friends he would be a tough opponent to face.

All these reasons in total meant that, unless it was necessary and I had complete faith that he wouldn't abuse any power upon gaining it, I wouldn't be teaching Drok how to embrace the shadows. The meal ended with a touching speech by Gilder, although I wasn't paying too much attention to it. For once Gilder didn't depart after his speech and instead mingled with the soldiers not sitting at the top table (which included us). He greeted Drok and sized him up, obviously thinking about where his allegiance stood, but Drok used a clever combination of accusations being made by him, accusations about him and overall emotional speech to win Gilder's trust. I doubted Gilder would take an arrow for Drok but he'd certainly attempt to block it or alert him, which was a victory in my book.

With that the meal ended and I went out to the edge of camp where I fought Drok earlier in the day to begin our first magic lesson..


	11. Chapter 11 I Regret Freezing a River

Trio of War - Chapter 11 - I regret turning a river to ice

Drok was a fast learner. Whatever spells I taught him he had an adequate grasp on when he first performed them. I taught him some of the more menial tricks i'd began to take for granted (such as rushing forward with the power of the wind). We trained for the night and then he asked if he could test out his new abilities in a fight, so reluctantly I agreed to spar with him.

His skills with a sword were as sharp as when we fought earlier in the day and his magic was charged with more power than i'd ever seen him use. His only problem was that he put great amounts of energy into every swing of his blade. With that technique he'd get himself killed easily. It didn't take much power to strike down a shadow warrior or shadow stalker (if the weapon in question was charged with the shadows. The only positive things I could say about his technique was the it made me make sure to use two hands to defend his strikes and that it showed raw determination.

I personally thought I was doing a good job of teaching and he a great job of learning, I didn't address the sword issue he had, I figured i'd give Forlon something to shout about the next day. Everything was going surprisingly well until it all (not so surprisingly) fell apart in one moment. The exact same moment he asked me when he'd be embracing the shadows. The sentence in itself was a problem, he'd said 'when' not if, showing that he did expect to become a Shadow-Wielder, a title I was comfortable with as it is. It was never a problem for me to drive down the part of me that the shadows stirred in. The part that told me to give up freewill and gain godlike power through the shadows.

Yet overtime my shadow magic strengthened or I learnt a knew power that involved the shadows I felt that part of myself rising up and trying to claw its way to the surface. I didn't know whether or not Drok would be able to fight it down, and if so would I be able to continue to ignore it with the responsibility of teaching it weighting on my shoulders. Drok asked mid-spar when he'd be embracing the shadows and, seeing as I had no answer at the current time, I lunged at him, when he blocked I hooked him in the face and used the air to send him flying backwards.

The move at least gave me twenty or so seconds to think and prepare an answer. He sent his sword into the air around him in a miniature flash as he walked back towards me, one of the first tricks i'd taught him, and still one I found extremely useful. He hadn't learnt how to rush forward using the air as fluently as he'd learnt some of the other tricks i'd taught him so when he tried doing it to get back to me he ended up about a meter further away from me than he anticipated.

It wasn't a bad effort and I suspected he was a little disorientated from the crash to the ground, and from what i'd be told I threw a pretty mean left hook. He came up to me and repeated the question he'd asked in battle, and this time I had an answer

"Not in the foreseeable future" I told him

"Why not" he asked, sounding disappointed. I turned and walked back to camp and he followed at my side

"The power of the shadows is complicated" I started "I feel its tug every day and at times wish I hadn't taken on the power, but I know it was necessary to stay alive. That isn't the case for you. Although having you learn the way of the shadows would be a big advantage it could be just as much of a disadvantage"

"How" he asked, curiously

"I don't have the knowledge to teach it and to get such knowledge i'd need to access the shadows within me, loosening my control on them but increasing the power. This would make me much more likely to lose my freewill to the power of the shadows. Plus you learning the way of the shadows makes you likely to be corrupted too. It's highly tempting and without Forlon or Reshka I doubt I would've embraced the shadows without being corrupted, who do you have to stop you becoming corrupted?" I asked the last question rhetorically but he answered

"You" he said

"Please, Drok" I told him "I'm hardly a role model"

"You're a hero to these people" he retorted

"Because I can do things they can't" I told him "You want my advice?" I asked

"Any you can give" he replied

"Learn the least amount of skills you can, and the moment this war ends go home. Just go home and stay there" I told him firmly

"Is that what you plan to do?" he asked, walking in front of me and turning into my path, standing face to face with me

"Yes" I replied honestly "When I see Soul Eater's life drain from his body and make sure he can't restore it i'll focus all my power onto finding a way home and spending my life as a hunter or a lumberjack in my village"

Drok seemed slightly shocked at my words and spent his time replying as I walked past him. Eventually he spoke

"Well what if some of us want to help re-establish this world when the war is over"

"To say you started your journey with the rebellion by challenging their hero to a fight to the death I wouldn't have counted you as that 'some of us' group" I replied. We made our way back to camp and Drok started to understand my views behind living a peaceful life but doubted i'd ever be able to with the skills I had. In the end we agreed to disagree and Drok headed to the tent i'd had Gilder setup for him. He went to rest and regain his magical energy, while I headed in the general direction of my tent but didn't expect to get there without running into someone who wanted to talk.

Surely enough I ran into Kora not too far from my tent. We had a fairly menial talk about his duties and how he was attempting to handle them. Eventually I managed to brake off the conversation and head to my tent. As soon as I reached it and settled down Gilder turned his hand and every high ranking member of the rebellion was forced to come running to his needs. I had no idea what Gilder wanted and I didn't believe it was important until the first words came out of his mouth.

"Soul Eater" was all he said and the room shifted "he's free and undoubtedly wants revenge on someone particular for turning a river into ice around him" The chuckles that spread around the room were enough to tell me i'd done a good job. Gilder continued spreading warnings about Soul Eater when the man himself appeared next to him and spread a blast of wind through the tent. He eyed me warily, I was obviously the one he wanted and let loose a red stream of energy at me. I ducked out of the way and kept his attention. He was about to let another stream loose when Kora was beside him and took him to the floor. Soul Eater's stream went through the top of the tent and out the other side. He used the air to fling Kora aside and Forlon stomped on his face as he tried to get up. Drok entered the tent and I sent him a look that told him to gather Kora and Gilder's influence and get the rebellion moving.

I was getting tired of ordering retreat from Soul Eater but had no other choice. While Drok, Kora and Gilder got the rebellion mobilised I placed a hand on Soul Eater's shoulder and Forlon and Reshka put a hand on each of my shoulders. I brought the shadows around the four of us and sent us far away from the camp. Soul Eater transported himself to a position further back and regained his footing. I looked and Forlon and Reshka respectably and we all shared the same thought, we missed fighting together, just the three of us with no backup. We all appreciated the help the rebellion gave us but missed having only each other to rely on, somehow we all thought it was safer…even against Soul Eater.

I would've have Drok join us but as we teleported with the shadows I read Soul Eater's thoughts and my suspicions were correct, Soul Eater had no idea of Drok's magical potential. That meant the rebellion had somehow racked up two secret magicians, which seemed slightly ironic as Soul Eater needed magic. But I had another suspicion, that draining Drok would give him nothing. Drok's magic came directly from Soul Eater's kingdom of evil, meaning that it was originally his power, meaning that Soul Eater would not gain anything from draining him, but I didn't want to put that to the test.

Soul Eater spread his hands wide and I knew something strange was happening. He grew in size and Reshka fired an arrow that bounced off him as he transformed. He went down on all fours and kept growing, turning into a frightening beast that definitely made me think twice about trapping him under that river. The beast was easily triple the size of me and nearly ten times as wide, from first glance anyway. It charged straight at me and received an arrow in its face. I leaped onto its back and helped Forlon to the same position.

We hacked away at the creatures back and Forlon got thrown off as the creature tried to shake us both loose. I used magic to secure my footing and it continued to try and take me off it. That gave Forlon free space to work with Reshka on its head, arrow after arrow and slash after slash while I distracted the beast and kept up the attack on its back. Despite the sheer force and frequency of our attacks the beast showed no signs of pain or tiring.

Eventually the thing that was once Soul Eater learned that he couldn't shake me off. Unfortunately that meant that he focused on my comrades. As he tired to use his massive head to take Forlon to the floor I jumped off his back and give him both my feet, charged with electricity right between his eyes. Finally the beast showed some sign of pain, although all he did was take a step back, but it did give us all a moral boost and we all increased out efforts of attack. Arrows flew faster from Reshka's bow and Forlon's strikes had so much power in them it was as strong as if i'd charged it with magic. I kept the beasts attention by using the shadows to teleport around it while send bolts of lightning and balls of fire into its face.

We kept up the attack and watched as the beast started to stagger around, showing our efforts were not for nothing. As victory edged closer to us the beast let loose its secret weapon…magic. Apparently Soul Eater was still a magician in any form he took on. He opened his beastly mouth and let loose a magical scream, knocking me to the floor. The beast came closer to me and I sent the ground upwards beneath me and used the air to carry me further when the ground sank back down. I spread my arms and headed down to the ground again. As I passed above the beast I summoned an avatar that landed in a crouch on its back and started doing damage. I landed softly and advanced with Forlon, summoning another avatar who flashed into existence and sliced the beast in the face, driving it back.

The beast sent magical lightning through its body, destroying the avatar mounted on its back. The action somehow made my other avatar angry and it fought with renewed vigour. Me and Forlon continued to advance as the beast backed up under the torrent of power my avatar, who was fighting like a monster. It lunged at with his sword which the beast caught in its mouth. As the beast applied pressure to the huge sword my ten-foot avatar did something i'd never think someone on ten foot could. The sword disappeared into the air with a smashing sound and the beast received an uppercut to its face, then the avatar struck again but in a surprising way.

He jumped into the air, swinging its foot up as it went and did a three-hundred and sixty degree turn, swinging its foot straight down as it came over the beast. The beast roared in obvious pain and stood on its hind legs. It summoned an axe the size of my avatars sword and stood on its hind legs they were about the same size. The difference was unmistakeable though, the avatar was obviously quicker and the beast stronger. Me and Forlon didn't stop running and eventually we reached the beast. I stopped in front of it and summoned a magical shield to protect the three of us as the beasts axe swung. I held my hands above my hand to deflect the strike at a safe distance from us, but I was confident it would hold…maybe too confident.

The axe hit the barrier and it flashed red at the tip as it struck my barrier, an enchantment. The barrier held but the pressure drove me to my knees and the barrier faltered and eventually blinked out of existence. As the beast readied its weapon for another swing my avatar struck. It gave a punch to the gut but didn't even make the beast flinch. It followed up with a right hook to the face and got a reaction. The beast swung again and I waved my hand, summoning a sword and shield into the hands of my avatar. It ducked the swing (not an easy feat for a ten-foot warrior) and drove for the beasts chest. The sword struck its target and I used magic to increase the power of of the stab, making a massive hole in the beast's stomach.

The beast stepped back, receiving a smash in the face from the avatars shield. As it reared its head back I saw Forlon, scaling the creatures back. As the beast's head reared I saw his sword fall from his grasp and he let out a curse, keeping his grip and climbing onwards. The beast directed magic to the hole in its chest and healed it in an instant. That was the problem with transformation, not only could he use his magic but if we killed Soul Eater in this form he'd only turn back to his old self, the form we physically couldn't kill. I didn't know if I could knock him out again if needed. Another arrow slipped from Reshka's bow and landed in the snout of the beast, which was soon followed by another slice to the snout from my avatar. Reshka shouted my name and I instantly knew the problem before I turned. He was out of arrows. I waved my hand and his bow shone in the daylight. I'd placed an enchantment on it, meaning that overtime he pulled back the string an arrow would appear.

He seemed pleased (or as pleased as you can be fighting something like we were) and fired faster with the easier loading system. Forlon reached the top of the creatures head and was unnoticed. He shot me a look and I used the air to take his sword up to him. He turned it backwards and held it in both hands, ready to strike straight down into the creatures brain. I spread my magic and tipped the edge of Forlon's blade with the shadows, a small, concentrated amount. About enough to take down a tree trunk in a single slash if spread all over the blade. Forlon got positioned and the avatar advanced, keeping the beast's attention. Reshka's arrows fired frantically and I summoned the shadows to the beast's eyes, clawing away at them, forcing the creature to kick my avatar away and drop its weapon, clearing the shadows from its eyes.

That's when Forlon struck.

My avatar regained his footing and covered his eyes with his shield and dropping to one knee, Reshka took the message and half turned while I sent magic to my eyes, shielding them from anything that was to come.

Forlon's sword went straight through the beasts skull and deep into its brain. Forlon was threw off the creatures head and I (being the only one able to see where they were going) used the air to rush myself forward and drop him safely on the ground. I saw that he had his eyes tightly closed, he obviously saw Reshka and my avatar do the same thing. As the light started to fade and my comrades opened their eyes I dispelled my eye-barrier. As visibility came to the others I felt magic flow into me and I knew that my avatar had been destroyed by the explosion. Where the beast had fell lay a face down and very unconscious Soul Eater.

He had steam coming rom every pour of his body. We all converged over his unconscious body in a triangular formation. Reshka was the last to converge as he went about picking up arrows that had popped out from the beast as I removed the enchantment from his bow. Thats when Soul Eater awoke. We were all thrown back but I felt the weakness of the magic. The transformation had obviously taken most of his magic, what he had left was barely enough to shield himself, he'd have to run or go purely physical. I didn't know much of Soul Eater's sword skills but I highly doubted he could best Forlon and I myself wasn't too bad with a blade. As well as me and Forlon, Reshka (though his 'true weapon' was the bow) knew some basic sword skills, more than enough to best a basic soldier if needed, and I highly expected him to be able to best Soul Eater if needed.

All four of us rose to our feet quickly and looked at each other. Reshka's bow let loose an arrow as me and Forlon charged, intending to end this. The arrow was deflected and as Soul Eater turned I sent a wall of shadows rushing into his side. He was knocked off balance and Forlon struck for his heart, his sword bounced off like steel and he swiped Soul Eater's feet instead. Soul Eater fell to the ground and realised he was beat and, if he kept going, he'd run out of magic and be killable. He turned himself into steam and rose towards the dark clouds. Reshka shouldered his bow and looked annoyed and cheated (a rare sight of emotion from him) and Forlon let out a curse. As I watched the steam trickle into the air anger rose inside me.

I had made extra care to keep my emotions in check since embracing the shadows to stop any brake outs of dangerous magic but i'd had enough. I let my anger infuse with my magic and brought it to the surface. My first thought as I started to use it was that I was right in the first place. This power I felt was amazing but intense. I knew instantly that if I kept this up for more than a few minutes i'd succumb to it and lose freewill. I stretched out my hand and the Soul Eater-steam turned back into the man. Apparently his steam form gave him a bit more magic and he utilised it to soar into the clouds. Forlon and Reshka looked at me differently as I let out a chuckle and performed a trick i'd never tried before, mostly for fear of succeeding then falling to my death. I flew.

I flew faster than Soul Eater since I had more magic to spare. I caught him halfway to his kingdom of evil and flew alongside him for a second. After I was satisfied with the amount his eyes widened I used the momentum of the speed i'd gained to stop in front of him and deliver a gut-wrenching gut punch. He stopped mid flight and I swiped his legs, even in mid-air he fell on his front. As he fell towards the ground I grabbed the back of his head and started flying as I had before, but this time straight towards the ground. I let go just as he impacted and hovered there for a few seconds.

I touched down softly when the smoke had cleared. He raised from the hole, keeping himself conscious with magic (I presumed he'd know what would happen if he let himself fall unconscious, he could feel the magic inside me, enough to brake his defences). I scanned his mind for how much magic he had left and unfortunately he'd gained a lot from becoming his clouds, the darkness within them was magic itself. As he climbed out I chuckled. I'd found a lot of useful information in his head and had just finished clearing it out. I saw everything he remembered from his life. His family, his master, the way he'd felt when he drained his first magician, the construction of his kingdom and the inside of it, in great detail. He hadn't a secret to hide from me, I knew everything. I scanned his thoughts next to my own and found a good form of attacking. I extended my magic to the air and reached out to the darkness within the clouds and brought them down in a funnel.

A tornado of pure darkness descended on Soul Eater as he tried to raise defences. But the sheer amount of magic I pumped into the tornado was too much for him and he was sucked in. In that moment I felt the pure hatred he had for me. He hated Reshka, Forlon and Gilder but he loathed me at amounts I didn't think possible. I didn't return his feelings in such strong amounts but I certainly didn't have any sympathy for him. I set my hands on fire and sent endless streams of fire to the tornado setting it on fire. I stopped the tornado and the fire and readied my magic. I needed this ending quickly before the magic sucked me in forever, though in my current state of mind the thought wasn't completely terrible.

He landed on the floor in a heap and he rushed at me in a flash, intending to drain my magic. He got his hand to my shoulder and let a smile spread as he felt the magic flow through me, this was how his spell worked, it got inside you and came back to him with yours. He kept like that until he called the magic back…and it didn't respond. He started at me in horror and tried to remove his hand but couldn't, I wouldn't let his magic back into him. I sucked out the remainder of his magic with the supply he'd given me and sent him flying backwards, drained of magic.

He got up, scared of being finished off and I moved in for the kill. Shadow beasts flew out the ground with each step I took but as they touched down they dissolved without me even needing to look sideways at them.

I closed in on him and his end seemed inevitable. That's when Gilder appeared at his side. I presumed he'd sensed the end of Soul Eater and used his hidden magic to transport here but I had no idea how wrong I Eater seemed shocked to see him and uttered a curse after saying

"You"

Gilder thrust his hand at me and I didn't have time to raise any defences. He grabbed Soul Eater and he was gone. I stood up and felt the magic stir inside of me, baying for blood. I knew it wasn't me and I let my anger fade, the magic locking back inside of me. I knew that the magic was to be scared of. I didn't plan on letting out again unless it was the last option.

I was about to use the shadows to get back to Reshka and Forlon when I decided to see how strong I was by myself. I crouched down and jumped into the air. It carried my weight and I flew. I kept below the clouds, they were Soul Eater's way of keeping tabs on where things above the clouds were, although nothing but Soul Eater travelled above them now, and that was rare. I saw Forlon, Reshka and someone else…Gilder. Soul Eater wasn't by his side and I saw his hand behind his back. I sent magical senses forward and found that he was charging magic in that hand and prepared to blast Forlon to dust and then take Reshka's head. I had other plans.

I sped up and let out a scream of frustration. The three of them looked up at me and Gilder let the magic lose in a thunderbolt, but I raised my hand and it faded to nothing. Forlon rushed forward to attack Gilder but I was quicker. I charged into his chest and tackled him to the ground. Dragging him along it with me on top. He pushed me off as Reshka and Forlon advanced, weary of who to trust. Reshka figured i'd let my anger fuse with my magic before and he was curious as to wether or not I had let it out or let it control me. Forlon was itching to help me but Reshka reasoned with him and he held back.

Gilder got to his feet and swung his sword near my head. I ducked and gave him a punch to the gut, this issue was too personal to involve magic. This was a physical matter. He recoiled and I swung at his face. He crumpled to the floor and as he sat up I kicked him in the chin, his jaw covering itself in blood. He used the air to send me to the floor and as he drove for my heart I grabbed his sword and pulled him down next to me. He hit the ground with a thud and I hooked him in the nose, breaking it on impact. I rammed him over and over until he laid down, not unconscious but in too much pain to move. I stood up and spat on him, joining my comrades a few paces away.

Reshka examined me and realised I had my freewill and regular magic levels, not the anger-magic power. He nodded and asked

"What did he do"

"He appeared as I was about to kill Soul Eater" I told my comrades "Then teleported him away, saving his life" Forlon's eyes practically glowed with anger and he started towards Gilder, but was held back by Reshka. Who turned to me as Forlon calmed

"Maybe there's a good explanation" I sighed and sent into their heads what Gilder had been planning before I tackled him. Reshka hummed for a second then said

"That is pretty clear"

Gilder sat up, coughing blood as the three of us made out way to him. Forlon spoke

"I miss this" he said simply

"What?" Reshka asked

"Fighting" he replied. I couldn't hold the laughter back, despite the situation we were in with Soul Eater surviving and Gilder somehow being a traitor to himself

"We fight all the time" I said

"Yeah" Forlon replied "but not just the three of us anymore"

"I get what you mean" I admitted "I was thinking about it earlier, when we fought Soul Eater"

"Would've been better without the big dude" Forlon commented

"The one that saved our life multiple times?" I asked

"Yep" Forlon replied "that one. I was the best fighter in that battle anyway"

"You certainly gave it a spectacular finish" Reshka chuckled

"And I kept you guessing with the magic" I pointed out

"That you did," Reshka said "That you did"

We reached Gilder and he made an effort to attack Reshka, leading to a kick to the jaw from Forlon

"Necessary?" I asked him

"Would you have done any different?" he asked and I couldn't have told him I would. My silence was the only answer he needed and chuckled. Reshka passed us and dragged Gilder to his feet. I placed my hand next to his head and placed a magical tracker (or so I called it). If he made an effort to attack the magic would instinctively go off, it could've killed him but if he did try to attack it meant there'd be something he wouldn't be telling us. So I made sure I only pumped enough magic to knock him out.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked

"You need to know when you're fighting a losing battle, Makto" He replied, blood gurgling in his mouth

"The least you can do is try" I told him

"Ha" he replied "look who is talking. Makto, the least you can do is try, correct, but me? I've led this rebellion for six years and where has it got me? How many of those men know how to fight properly? I'd say about five"

"None" Forlon coughed, receiving a look from Gilder

"I'm tired, Makto. When I teleported with Soul Eater I absorbed some information from him, I can counter his absorption of my magic. He can't get my power now, if he wants yours he knows he's going to have to take the three of you out, for which he needs my help."

I scanned his mind and found he was telling the truth. I set off the magic in my hand and conferred with my comrades. Gilder was out cold and wouldn't wake for hours. We talked for at least half an hour about what to do with Gilder. Taking him back was too much of a risk, people may attack us for his freedom (if they didn't believe us) and we'd need to lead the rebellion, also the camp had proven itself open to Sul Eater and Shadow Stalkers, meaning that we couldn't ensure his captivity or future safety. Killing him seemed like the best option but we didn't want to kill him if he could still be useful. Thats when I had an idea. Make him disappear like my weapon.

Of course he was bigger, heavier and a person but the logic worked the same. Disappear when not needed, appear when called. In the end we decided upon that option, worst case scenario, he dies, the option we decided on if our plan failed to work. I placed a hand on the unconscious traitor in front of me and he disappeared in a flash

"That was easy" I commented

"Can you bring him back" Forlon asked

"Yes" I replied "I can feel him in the air when I concentrate, like my swords. He will reappear if I call him, probably still unconscious"

"Good" Reshka commented

We sat there for a few hours, waiting till nightfall, partly because I didn't have enough magic to fly us to the rebellion camp and no one fancied using the shadows to get there. But the main reason we sat around was because we didn't want to go back. It had felt like ages since the three of us had been able to sit down and talk without hearing the sounds of the rebellion outside. We talked about unimportant things, who'd killed the most soldiers since we'd arrived (we gave in to Forlon eventually) and topics like that. As twilight occurred we took a stroll and saw a bandit camp. We observed for five minutes and Reshka advised we passed with disturbance but me and Forlon did the exact opposite. I summoned up a horn and blew it. The bandits looked at us and laughed. Reshka sighed as me and Forlon ran forward, following at a slow pace, not getting involved in the fight.

As we neared the enemy I used the shadows to take myself to the other side of their miniature camp (just three tents) and then said

"Oops. Magic, you know, hard to control these days" They all gawped and me and Forlon almost doubled over laughing. They figured we were playing with them as I reappeared next to Forlon and they got angry. Me and Forlon slashed all but two down with a minute, never letting our smiles falter. Ad the final two (the chief and some random bandit) got to their knees and begged for their lives me and Forlon laughed so hard that we had to hold our chests.

We'd forgotten how fun it was to fight such easy opponents after being in war so long, we'd been in war a total of five years plus the week or two we'd been here and we were glad to have fun back. As Reshka's footsteps stopped an arrow found its way between the eyes of the random bandit begging for his life

"Oops" Reshka said in explanation and joined the laughter. He'd obviously forgotten the fun too. The bandit chief just kneeled there, staring at us. As his life probably flashed before his eyes he shed to cry, it didn't happen to many men in the face of death but he obviously wasn't cut out for leadership, especially of bandits. I could see he didn't like the fighting which made me despise him a little. To steal from people and kill while the fight was easy was al good and well but to just give in when the end seemed inevitable was a sign of weakness. If Soul Eater had done that earlier I would've had his life. If Gilder had given in when we had him beaten I would've most likely taken his life to.

Forlon looked at him and said

"Oh hell, he's crying" and continued laughing. His laugh stopped before long along with mine and Reshkas

"Welcome to the war" I said sternly "don't worry. You're only six years late" Then I fried his brain and he went down thinking what any fighter should, thoughts of his killers. We feasted on the bandit's food and supplies for a while and at about midnight we headed into the sky and located the rebellion camp. We flew and landed outside the main tent (our tent was still next to it) as a cremation was going on. We headed to the camp outskirts and folded into the ranks. The cremation was of four, all without bodies. The three of us and Gilder.

Kora led the ceremony and spoke about us all, when he talked good about Gilder the anger rose again but I surprised it. He gave the order to light the wooden resting beds without bodies in our memory and we stepped forward

"Did we miss the invite?" I asked as Kora's face lit up. The soldiers put out the fires on the four resting beds and I walked over to Gilders and stared at it

"Where is Gilder?" Kora asked

"I killed him" I replied (this was the story we'd agreed on) as the rebellion drew weapons. I raised my hand and sent Gilder's resting bed to shrapnel and into the air as I began to tell the rebellion why i'd ended his life.

Kora stood silent for a minute at the end of the story and looked downwards.

"You did the right thing" he told me "i'm sure finding out he was a magician was shocking enough" (we didn't say that the three of us knew his secret before hand) "but that he working for Soul Eater too. He deceived us to long. It's time for a new rebellion" The troops unionised with a roar of joy.

"A new rebellion needs a new leader" Kora shouted and pulled Gilder's sword from his belt "Gilder left his sword and took a training sword when he left. This sword goes to our new leader" The troops rallied with another shout. Kora dug stabbed his own sword into the ground beside him and I thought he was about to take up the mantle of leader, as was his right. He rose Gilder's sword into the air and held it with two hands in front of his face. He walked away from his own sword and walked tot he front of the rebellion soldiers

"I believe we are all in agreement to who is to be our new leader" he shouted and the rebellion responded with a shout of their own.

He walked to me and my two comrades and dug the sword into the ground in front of the person stood in the centre of the other two…in front of me

"Makto, hero of the rebellion. You are to be our new leader, should you accept the duty" Kora finished and I stared at him blankly then at the pure gold sword in front of me. No, not Gilder's sword, my sword. I placed my right hand upside down on the sword hilt and sent my magic to the air. It came back down in a bolt of lightning landing on the ball-ended hilt of my sword and I pulled it out of the floor as it did and raised it to the air.

Reshka nodded his head behind me and Forlon gave a slight chuckle. Kora stared proudly and I noticed Drok at the back of the crowd leaning back against some crates, smiling at me. I looked into the air and realised the duty i'd undertaken. The rebellion now had a leader who they thought could face and beat Soul Eater toe-toe. What they didn't seem to understand is that he was weakened when I fought him I was overpowered with anger. But they didn't care, ignorance was bliss to them. They believed I was a hero and I couldn't (though I didn't try too hard) to change their minds.

I was a leader and I didn't think that Gilder's rein was much of one that needed a lot to live up to, considering how it ended. But I was determined to try my best regardless who was leader before me, be that Gilder or some soldier I didn't know, it mattered not. I lowered my sword from the air and pointed it to the rebellion and issued my very first command

"Dismissed


	12. Chapter 12 Mantle of Leadership

Trio of War - Chapter 12 - Mantle of leadership

After I dismissed everybody I went straight to Reshka who answered me before I asked the question

"I had my suspicions" he told me "and yes, I do still intend to run the rebellion, despite you being leader"

"Inspiring one-word-speech" Forlon commented "almost had me in tears." Reshka and Forlon left me without another word to get some sleep. Kora came up behind me and discussed his decision to make me leader. He also informed me that he would be taking on his full duties and anything else I needed help with, which I was grateful for.

I headed back to the main tent, my main tent, and sat in the chair at the back of it. I drew my sword from its scabbard and examined it in the moonlight that slipped through the gaps in the tent. The sword glinted pure gold and shone like a flame. I stood up and gave it a few practice swings. I swung it into some empty boxes in the tent and it cut through the without any effort. This sword was much better than any i'd ever used and I knew that if Forlon had been given it there would be heads claimed each minute with this blade. Despite this face I decided to keep it in my scabbard and not use it until absolutely needed. This meant that I was never defenceless, even if my magic ran out and I couldn't summon my blades. This sword was a backup and nothing more.

I decided to do what Gilder had and pull everybody in when they were sleeping. I myself was tired but considering the bags I absolutely always saw under Gilder's eyes I figured that being tired was just part of the job. As a bunch of unhappy and annoyed faces had joined me in the the main tent I let out a smile which only seemed to make the high ranking rebellion members more annoyed. The only exception was Kora who was barely keeping a straight face when looking at his comrades face's in the room.

"Hi, everybody" I said happily and got a grunt in reply

"I've called you all here to basically cancel all orders you've received recently." Thats about the point when the room woke up "We're staying in this spot for another day, then moving out. Dismissed" I pretended like I expected the room to disappear, and half of it did, but the rest did what I expected, questioned me. I told them all that we needed to settle down after the passing of Gilder and that working the men too quickly was a mistake. They bought that, thankfully, and left me. Of course that was a lie though.

The real reason I wanted to stick around was because I wanted some time to myself and ease into my duties. On the march i'd have much more problems to see to and wouldn't get any chance to breathe. It would've been the metaphorical version of going and fighting Soul Eater when I first arrived here. The only difference being that i'd have to give an inspiring speech to the rebellion and i'd be dead if I fought Soul Eater. Night passed and I got a few hours sleep, more than I expected and woke to Forlon screaming at the troops as he made them run round the camp. I walked out of my tent and watched them run a while. I took away some of the ground between them with magic and laughed as they had tried to jump it, and failed miserably. Looked at the hole, then at me and realised what i'd done and I saw his face stretch into a smile. He eventually restrained himself and kept shouting.

I walked through the camp and found Drok who was practising some magic. I threw a ball of fire at him and he went down. He got up, lightning raging in his fists and then saw me. He let the lightning die out and I shouted to him

"Always be aware" He gave me a nod and kept practising and I saw the concentration on his face as he tried to practice his magic and keep his magical senses aware around him. I passed through the camp a while and found a good spot to practice some magic. I taught myself a few new tricks and practised some magic with the shadows, increasing the density of them to deal more damage.

Then I sensed someone approaching…jumping, bringing their sword towards my head. I would've summoned a regular shield of magic but the shadows were already in my palm so I turned round and thrust my hand up, summoning a wall of shadows to block the sword and send my attacker sprawling. I looked at the smiling face of Kora as he got back to his feet and knew he wanted to spar. We ran towards each other and I summoned my sword to my hand. We clashed in the air and I ducked as he brought his fist towards my face. He removed his sword from mine and jumped into the air, bring his right foot into my face. I staggered back as he ran towards me.

Kora's fighting technique was simply his athleticism, if his sword hit you it would most likely cause a nasty cut, not instant death, but when he did hit you he'd keep going and I didn't know many people who'd be able to interrupt one of Kora's sword-slashing combos when he got going with them. We came to fighting range but I didn't raise my sword as I had predicted his next move. He flipped over my head and I rolled to the side as his sword came down to where I was standing. I threw a fist to his face but he was far to quick for it to connect. He stepped in close and crouched in a spin as he drove his sword towards my chest. I kicked it away and slammed him in the face with my boot.

He rolled backwards and wiped his mouth, checking for blood. He was satisfied there was none and raised his sword. I approached and watched him try to take my feet from under me as I slashed for him. I flipped over his head (a technique he'd taught me) and kicked him in the back, sending him to the floor as I pushed off and rolled to my feet. I charged towards him and he turned barely in time to block my strike, but I had him now. Kora's power was better than most but strength-wise I had him covered. I removed my sword and span, bring my sword into his again. I drove my foot for his head as our swords detached and he ducked low, striking for my heart. I dodged and gave him an uppercut to the jaw, I could've taken his life there and then but I knocked him to the floor with the hilt of my sword instead.

He didn't give in and instead rolled backwards and lunged at me. I knocked his sword away and ducked under his arm. He spun around and tried to take me down but I spun out of the way. I rammed my sword into his back and he went down. I kicked him in the face and he went sprawling, losing his sword. I picked it up as I worked my way to him. I helped him up and gave him his weapon back. We talked about a few things until the conversation turned to Gilder and his death. I managed to lie to him until he was satisfied with Gilder's death. I basically told him the truth up until the part I knocked Gilder out, instead I told him that I ended Gilder's life with that spell and burnt his body to ash.

I went back to the main tent and within five minutes had half the high ranking rebellion soldiers coming to me with problems. I kept to a good system and surprisingly it worked. If they mentioned the word training I sent them out to Forlon who was dealing with them men. If they mentioned the world plan or tactics I sent them to Forlon who was planning in the corner. That eliminated about half my workload for the day. Kora came in and dealt with any of the soldiers he could help out. I sent him a look of gratitude and he smiled back.

I spent most of the day dealing with the calls of the men and helping them where I could. The problems were easy to solve but came in such large numbers. An hour before we were scheduled to eat another warrior came to me with a problem. He grumbled away at me miserably and i'd decided i'd had enough. I got up of my seat and walked out of the tent as the warrior called me back. He rushed out of the tent and attempted to get my attention. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard, then I rose into the air and started flying. I soared over the camp and went towards the kingdom of evil. I'd decided to give Soul Eater a taste of his own medicine. I knew I couldn't bear him inside his kingdom, reading his thoughts had told me that, but I was sure going to give him a scare. I knew every room of the kingdom perfectly and didn't need to peek inside to know where I was reappearing as I shrouded myself in darkness coming from the clouds behind me.

I reappeared next to Soul Eater's throne. The room was made of black substances that moved around like water, snaking over the walls in strange formations. I stood there for a second examining the room i'd felt like i'd seen a hundred times before. I looked at the throne ebbing with magic and felt its flow as it entered my body and mingled with my magic reserves. There was no chance that i'd be able to kill him without getting angry and letting it fuse with my magic, an action I wasn't going to take.

I peaked around the throne and saw Soul Eater sat there. The reason I was here was to deliver him a message, that he didn't scare me. I thought what better way to do that than destroy his throne. I sent the thrones magic pumping through it and Soul Eater noticed something was wrong. He gave out a slight hum then his throne exploded in his face. He fell to the floor and looked around for his enemy as he got to his feet. I broke my invisibility spell with a right uppercut to his face. I followed it up by bringing my left foot into his gut and doing a backflip,sending my left foot into his face, driving him back.

He let magic flow to his hand and sent a stream of red magic flying past my face and tried to trip me with a wall of shadows. I sent myself to the other side of the room and used the air to rush forward and send a fist, coated with magical lightning straight into his face. He neutralised the magic that would have paralysed him instantly, trying another wall of shadows. I used the air to dissolve his wall and he came at me with a right fist. He caught me in the gut and I stumbled back. He tried to ram fire into my face but I spun to left and sent flame into his. He stumbled back, screaming in pain. I summoned my sword to my hand and cut him on his knee. I was about to follow up by taking his head when he pushed me backwards with the air. I fell to my knees and brought the ground up with me as I rose. Sending him toppling into his kingdom wall. He stumbled of the wall of darkness and ran into the huge fist i'd conjured out of the shadows. He went back intuit he wall and I closed in. I stabbed him through the heart and took his head of his body. His head was reattached before he hit the ground and his heart made a soft thump a second after and continued beating. I placed my foot on top of him and flowed all my magic through it, keeping him on the ground. Any amount less than all my magic would've resulted in him braking out.

He couldn't get up and I laughed. Shadow Stalkers barged into the room and headed for me, swords raised. I spat on Soul Eater and chuckled saying

"I'll be back for you later" With that I ran to the wall and removed the barrier on Soul Eater. He screamed at the Shadow Stalkers to take me down and I jumped through the wall and I glided into his dark courtyard. I conjured fired in my hands and sent them to the courtyard, destroying his walls and his army as I coated them with shadows, exposing on impact. I stopped and hovered in the air. I concentrated all my magic into my hands and sent it out in a constant stream at the bottom of his tower. After a few seconds the tower gave in and collapsed on itself. It hit the ground. I laughed somewhat sadistically but didn't hold out the hope that Soul Eater was dead. If I did have any hope of that, it went as soon as I heard a maniac scream and a column of shadows shoot straight into the air.

I decided upon that being my cue to leave and flew back to camp. I told my comrades what i'd done and although Reshka didn't approve Forlon patted me on the back and told me he was proud. I walked out into camp and met a soldier who suggested an idea that gave me quite a thrill, he suggested me and Forlon go toe-toe. I ran it by Forlon who seemed as thrilled as I was about the idea and agreed to it. We spent five minutes preparing before going to the battlefield. Everyone had gathered to watch us, absolutely everyone. Drok and Kora stood at the front and everyone had their eyes locked on us. Reshka stood close by to make sure we didn't kill each other or anything. Me and Forlon tapped swords to start with and the took up our battle positions.

We ran towards each other and Forlon swung as hard as he could, a swipe that would've taken my life eerily. I ducked his blow and ended up behind him. We both turned and swung. Our swords hit in the air and we looked into each others eyes, and I saw pure determination raging. We unlocked ourselves and clashed again as we both swung. I went for an upwards slash to follow up and Forlon went for a downwards slash. Our swords rebounded again and the vibrations sent along my arms stiffened my muscles. I sent magic to the affected areas and stared Forlon down. He charged again and I threw lightning into his chest and he went flying. He got up and didn't look happy. He walked slowly and purposefully towards me. I threw fire and he sliced through it.

I use the air to charge myself to Forlon and he raised his sword. We locked blades again and I coated mine in shadows which darted towards Forlon's eyes. He moved back and spun underneath the shadows, sending his sword to my heart as he did. I stepped out of range and he recovered his stance. The rebellion muttered behind us, trying to decide who'd come out on top of that exchange. I flipped over Forlon and all he slashed was air. I brought my sword up and he did the same. I tried another stab and my sword was deflected. He lunged for my heart but I grabbed his sword and used it to flip him over my back. He landed in a heap on the floor and I offered him a hand up. Instead of taking it he lunged again, catching me off guard. I just managed to utilise my skills and spin out of the way. He brought his sword down in strike and I deflected it with a magical barrier. He stretched his arms and advanced again, a smirk stretching across his face.

He came at me again and we exchanged slashes, nobody gaining or losing ground, he slashed at me, and I deflected then I slashed and got my blade deflected and we repeated the cycle. Eventually I caught his sword and thrust it to one side. Delivering a punch to the gut, Forlon showing little acknowledgement of the pain. He drove for my head and I sidestepped delivering a kick to his face, taking him to the floor again. I spread my magic to the ground beneath him and sent it upwards, Forlon going high. I courted down and took to the air, snatching Forlon and clubbing him over the head. He returned my hits and we spun out of control, crashing onto the battlefield and grinding across the floor. We both spun to our feet, our weapons out hand and delivered equal hooks to the face. We stepped back in turn and traded blows for a while. I sent the shadows into his face and he stumbled back. I tackled him to the floor as he regained sight and clubbed him repeatedly. He kicked me off and came at me as I got to my feet. Blow after blow was dealt until I finally dodged one and set my hand on fire. I sent the uppercut into his chin, my fist causing as much damage as the fire and he fell back.

He kicked my backwards as I advanced on him and he crawled to his feet, somehow sword in hand. He slashed at me and I summoned my sword to my hand and caught his blow. He spun round and knocked my sword, sending it scattering along the floor. He jumped and stabbed for my head, but I was too quick. I hooked him in the face and kicked him in the gut I spun round and jumped, delivering both feet to his face and taking him to the floor. I scrambled to my feet and sent my sword flying toward my hand. I clasped it just as Forlon had his ready to strike. We both pulled back, gathering power and let it lose as a strike, our swords clashing in the air. Kora and Drok took a step back ass the force of the swords colliding hit them. Me and Forlon prepared to unlock our swords and continue but an arrow was sent into the side of our blades, unlocking them and ending the fight.

"It's a tie" Reshka announced, realising one of us would've got hurt sooner or later. It didn't take someone of Reshka's intelligence to see that we were blocking and dodged killing blows, not blows that would cause little scratches, one of us one have gone down eventually, though who it would've been was a mystery. I sent my weapon away and Forlon sheathed his blade. We walked through camp, arguing about who would've won when everyone was called to eat. I was roached to sit at the top table, a requirement of leadership, and had Forlon and Reshka join me. Kora sat at Reshka's side and Drok seemed to have made some friends, whom he sat with.

We ate, saying very little. I was confident Soul Eater wouldn't bother us for a while as he'd lost his kingdom but I couldn't say the same for his minions. I'd set up magical defences that didn't allow transportation into them, but Shadow Stalkers could easily teleport outside the barrier and walk in. But i'd be alerted of it inside my mind and would work to put a stop to wherever it was they entered. I stood up to give a speech, as was the custom at the end of the evening meal and, as the room fell into silence, I fell straight back into my chair as a magical blast entered my head…the perimeter was breached. Reshka figured what had happen and spoke quickly and quietly

"Where did they come in?"

"Everywhere" I replied faintly. They'd entered the camp from all sides and were closing in to where we were. I sent magical sense out of the tent and found what we were dealing with, an army of Shadow Stalkers and just as many shadow beasts. I scanned the thoughts of a few and found they were after one person…me. Which meant I couldd fly away and they'd follow me, not massacre the camp. As a leader my duty was to protect my people and their cause first, before myself.

I turned to Reshka and told him to get everyone to the centre of the hall and have them protected by those who carried weapons. He nodded and went to Kora, Forlon went to Drok and I readied myself for a fight. I jumped, powering the jump with magic and leaping through the roof of the hall. All the soldiers peaked outside, they saw the army I was faced with and couldn't help watching to see how I fared. I hovered above the centre of the hall and stared at the army around me, way too many to take on, but it wasn't like I had a choice.

Shadowy projectiles flew through the air at me as I flew to open ground. The Shadow Stalkers seemed to not mount the shadow beasts until I flew. When I landed I had to face the army on one front and the Shadow Stalkers dismounted the shadow beasts, to my surprise. The shadow beasts lead the charge as the Shadow Stalkers drew their weapons. Only one shadow beast made it to me, the rest held back, sizing me up. I slashed the snout as the beast jumped at me and it landed in a heap on the ground in front of me. I followed up with a stab just under its eye and it leaped at me. I ducked and it landed behind me. I twirled and cut its snout again. It threw its claw at me and I parried it with my blade.

I sent a face to the left eye of the beast and slashed its chin. It came at me again and I flipped onto its back. I stabbed it through the top of the head and it turned into black liquid. As it fell a blade of shadow narrowly missed my head and the army charged. I wondered how easily I would've beaten this army with my anger but I vowed not to use it unless my defeat is inevitable. I charged against the army, coating my blade with shadows and took down one Stalker. Then a hundred walls of shadow slammed into me and I went flying backwards. Shadow beats jumped at me but hit each other in the air, saving my life.

It was then I decided my death was inevitable and I got angry. The enemy stood back and watched as they felt my power grow. Shadow beasts growled and Shadow Stalkers backed away slowly. I closed my eyes and by the time my eyes reopened I was more powerful than ever. A single shadow beast jumped at me and I spun, slashing my sword into its snout as I had with the first, coating it with magic. The beast was turning to liquid by the time it hit the ground. The army charged at me and I did the same. This time I caused real damage. I sent a wave of magic from my body and dissolved the first row of enemies. I crouched quickly and used the air to boost towards the enemy.

Upon impact a wave of shadow emitted from the foe I struck, taking down the enemies around him. By now the movements of the foe had slowed, become more cautious. I sent a blast of fire through the ranks of the enemy. Shadow Stalkers should've only been destroyed by shadows but the pure power of the fire took them down. I ran through the empty line and saw the camp in the distance. I turned and let loose a blast of electricity from my body, disintegrating the enemy around me. By now I was practically drunk with power and laughing my head off. I spun into the armies path and began destroying them, one by one, punch by punch. One hit meant one death, and I was happy. They were attacking frantically but I had more defences than Soul Eater. I couldn't feel the pain let alone recoil from it. I kept spinning, hitting faces, smashing ribs and taking foes down with magic of all sorts. They surrounded me in a circle and I hovered in the air.

I spun to create a tornado, killing those around me. Not many remained now, an equal number of each foe, giving the Stalkers chance to mount the beasts. I didn't care what they did. I summoned over fifty avatars in a single moment, one per beast. Each avatar took a beasts life in a single swipe, charged with my magic. As one they took down every single foe. I just stood there and chuckled when I noticed another foe in the distance, different to the others. Black armor the same but only in patches. A mask not a helm and the armor fit his shape well, slim and not to muscly. He advanced on me with a two pure black swords and I just chuckled. He feigned for my right knee and came up with a kick to my face. I let it connect, not caring about my magical reserves, I had enough to go around.

His foot was magically enhanced with thunder and as it hit my face I felt the slightest of pricks, like pressing the tip of your sword gently to your cheek. From the simple fact that i'd felt the boot I knew that if my defences hadn't been so strong I would've been dead upon impact. He came at me again, swinging his left sword. I grabbed his right as he removed his left one, he'd attempted another feign. He swung his left for me, this time attempting to strike me down with it. I caught that to and looked into his dark eyes. This one was a cut above the rest. He'd been created by Soul Eater moments ago. He was a match for me without the anger, with it he could put up a fight but I knew i'd have him.

"That hurt" I said, referring to his kick, as I caught his left blade. I saw the slightest glint of fear in his dark eyes right before I head butted him. He went down, light coursing through his head. He scrambled to his feet and fell back again

"Easy" I chuckled as he fell. His anger drove him towards me and he swung his right blade. I summoned mine to my hand and parried it, the same with his left. With such a clarity of magic I knew how the battle would go, how every move would play out. The magic told me what would happen and when, before it did. He couldn't have hit me if he'd had hands as fast as light. He drove his boot towards me again and I dodged it. I smashed the hilt of my right blade into his skull and he flipped. He got back up and charged again. I sent him flying with air magic and he got up again. I gave him a look of exasperation and blocked his next blow. I played with him for a while, raising his anger.

When I was satisfied I decided to finish him. As I planned on how to do it Kora entered the fray. The boy had just started accepting his duty when his leader had turned on his cause, he'd been dealing with more work than he ever had and was finally sick of it. He was good and he knew it, he'd continue his duty as much as ever but he needed to let off some steam. He flipped and rolled his way around this new enemy who i'd decided to name 'shadow ninja'. Shadows ninja's technique relied on his mobility in battle but it wasn't nearly as good as Kora's. Kora had him beaten at his own game and slashed him over and over. He delivered a boot to the face and shadow ninja went sprawling. He recovered only a single blade and Kora didn't slow. He flipped over shadows ninja who rolled, narrowly avoiding losing his life, and retrieved his other blade.

I had full confidence in Kora's ability to finish this as he drove forward but shadow ninja had come looking for me, and I was going to be the one to finish it. I also didn't want to waste the magic at my finger tips. I crouched down for all of five seconds gathering all he magic I could. I shot forward, faster than any arrow and clashed with shadow ninja as his focus was on Kora. I slammed my fists into him repeatedly on the ground. I got to my feet and he followed slashing at me, but obviously weakened. I summoned my blades to my hand and sent them both to shadow ninja's head. He used both his blades in defence but mine were charged with too much magic. They smashed straight through his blades and took his head.

His decapitated body and his head turned to mist and rose upwards. As hey entered the shadowy clouds a whisper came down saying

"I'll be back" it rasped. I chuckled in response and turned as Reshka shot an arrow towards my neck. I caught it and looked at the wooden part, carved roughly by hand was the word 'Trio'. I thrust my head back and opened my mouth, dropping the arrow. Forlon and Reshka came rushing to help as Drok helped Kora's wounds, the rest of the rebellion was nowhere in sight. Mist came out of my mouth, shining light, and I felt its opposition to darkness. It hovered above my head in a sphere and spread itself to Forlon and Reshka, taking the same position. A triangle formed as lines of light erupted from the spheres. The triangle hovered in the air and rotated. I had the anger rid of me as the light came out and could finally think straight.

I adjusted to the lack of power and looked at Forlon and Reshka. Reshka had fired the arrow to snap me out of my power craze, knowing i'd read the word 'Trio' and remember why we were here. But as the anger left me none of us knew what had come with it, this light. The triangle span faster and erupted in a blinding flash. The five of us looked at where the centre of the triangle once was and noticed a cloud of mist, hovering gently in the air. Reshka neared and reached out his hand

"What are you?" He asked, not expecting an answer, but he got one

"Your guide" The mist answered. Forlon recoiled and me and Reshka widened our eyes

"The Special Skills? Thats why you're here?" Reshka quizzed

"Yes, wise warrior" The mist replied "I am here to guide you to them. But I tell you now, the special skills can't just be found but need to be mastered. Learnt, like skills are"

"Can you tell us what our Special Skills are then" Forlon asked

"Of course" The mist replied, the first good news i'd heard all day "Power, Wisdom and Courage"

"Oh hell" Was Forlon's only reply "it speaks in riddles"

"It doesn't" Reshka replied "think about it. Makto's power brought this being forth, meaning Makto is the Power, I believe I am the Wisdom and therefore you're ability to be somewhat foolhardy is apparently the Courage"

"Very well done" Our guide replied

"Why do we have Special Skills" I asked

"You're the Trio" The mist replied and paused. It continued when it saw the look on my face, the will to punch it. "The Power is needed to make everything go. The Wisdom is needed to decide what needs the Power. And the Courage is needed to take the Power further than the Wisdom can, the ability to not be afraid to go beyond the boundaries"

"What boundaries?" Foron followed

"Whatever boundaries exist in the minds of the three of you. You cannot change the old and create the new if you have boundaries"

"Like the boundary of life?" Drok figured

"Indeed" the guide replied

"Wait a sec," Forlon said "are you saying we can raise or fall life if we believe so?"

"Of course not" the guide replied "you do need to believe, correct. But you need have passed beyond life first and dealt with threats to it"

"You're saying that we need to die and defeat Soul Eater" Reshka nodded

"No" the guide said, never stopping to contradict itself and others "the Power must not die. Dead power is no power the Power can't die. But the Wisdom and Courage will pass beyond life if the Lord of Evil is to fall"

"Screw that" Forlon replied

"Very possible" Reshka mused

"I must go" the guide told us "I shall be back when i'm needed. In the meantime I offer some advice. Power" he addressed me "keep that anger in check, it can be controlled and if you are to become the Power of the Trio it must be, without that anger backing your magic you can't be strong enough. But like any skill it must be learnt, let it loose it little bits, let some out tomorrow, and a little more the next day. These sudden bursts will kill you, wether you regain control or not"

I wasn't surprised by the news and promised to try my best

"Wisdom," he addressed Reshka "keep your eyes wide open. Not everyone is as they seem, plan on the future for the Trio and the world, not just those close to you"

Reshka nodded his deepest thanks and Forlon sighed as the guide over closer to him

"Courage," he addressed Forlon "keep your head high. Dark times are coming and people will be lost. Your cause will seem hopeless, the unity and bond the three of you can achieve and stretch to make your own will true will seem hopeless. But while there is a single man backing a cause it still exists. Remember no man and can topple a tower without believing he can do it, although Makto can tell you more about toppling the tower of evil than I can"

With that the small cloud disappeared and Forlon turned to me. He asked what the guide meant but Reshka had already figured it out

"Look" he said, pointing to where the kingdom of evil once stood, but no more.

"Did you?" Forlon asked

"I sent a message" I told them "All those generals dealing with internal affairs, I needed to show Soul Eater i'm not like Gilder. That i'm not afraid to take action. Last time I realised the anger I read every single thought he had. I knew the kingdom was not indestructible. I went there, blew up his throne. Gave him a bit of a beating. Then jumped out of his non-existent windows and destroyed the tower."

"Not a good choice" Reshka commented "but not one we can change now"

Drok finished up with Kora and they joined us. They'd heard the guide and Kora seemed a bit sceptical about the whole thing but Drok had trust in me, he showed it clearly. I read Kora's thoughts as he was acting a little strange. He believed it, but just didn't like the idea of Reshka and Forlon dying. They were his friends, but that wasn't the problem. The problem he was having was that they were my closest comrades. If the guide was to be believed they'd die and i'd be alone, versing a near god magician on my own and having the weight of my dead comrades on my shoulders. I didn't know how I felt about that but Kora worried for me. I headed to the dining hall as the rest headed to their respective tents.

I dismissed the troops and called the high ranking members to my tent. When they all gathered I started

"I'll make this short and sweet" I said "there's a guy called shadow ninja. If you see him you'll know about it. Other than that I have but one announcement. If anyone bothers me tonight I hope you're prepared to go walking the couple of miles I throw you, presuming u survive of course" The high ranking members filed out and another came in. He told me the new troops had arrived. I admit that I lost my temper.

I screamed at him, asking him why he'd come to me. I told him it didn't take a genius to mingle his troops with our survivors. He left in a hurry and no one bothered to comfort him. Everyone got to sleep and I used the shadows to take myself to a place away from camp. I thought hard. I thought about what i'd done whole I was angry. I trick I couldn't do normally. With the power i'd felt there was so much I could've done that I couldn't there and then. I decided upon a tornado but wanted to start small. I opened my palm and gathered all my magic…nothing. I concentrated for ten minutes with no success.

I dug down deep and found my anger, a sea of chaos. I imagined scooping up a little bit of it and adding it to my magic, removing the anger and making it peaceful, powerful magic. I imagined it but could still feel the anger it held deep inside. I opened my palm again and gathered all the power I had. Right there, a min tornado rose. The size of a dagger's hilt, could barely kill a person if rammed into their head, but it showed the guide was right, piece by piece was the answer.

"Very good" the guide said behind me. I turned slowly. "That anger will fade eventually, you're on the right path. In about twelve hours the anger you added to your magic will fade in with the rest of it, extending your limits a fair amount, and you won't even be able to tell it started as your anger"

"So I do that every twelve hours?" I asked "Then the anger that's added becomes pure magic, meaning I get the power but not the terrible emotions?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that" the guide replied, still speaking riddles "The emotions are yours, Power. The reason you have that magic trapped in the sea of chaos that is you anger is because you had those emotions carved into you. You can do that technique all you like and it will get you the power you feel when you let it all lose. But theres the part you haven't accessed"

"Which part is that?" I asked

"At maximum power you've not got your full potential that lies in true peace. You access about half your anger magic when you let it all out in a burst. Imagine that, but doubly strong, and no anger. You must release all the power you feel in a burst, using the technique you just learnt. Then reach peace with yourself, thats when you'll achieve maximum power. Enough to rival the Lord of Evil"

"I can beat Soul Eater" I pointed out

"Not if he gets his hands on Gilder" the guide said "you need full power, then your Special Skill will be mastered." I nodded and looked up.

"What about Forlon and Reshka's Special Skills?" I asked "How do they master them, before dying"

"They're path is not easy, but nor is it hard till their end of days" the guide spoke

"Meaning?" I questioned

"They just continue as they are, then, if they at true peace when they pass on, they'll be masters in their skills, if not, the Trio falls"

"Do they know this?" I asked

"Wisdom figured this fact out a few minutes ago, when he sensed the power from this end of the camp. He's a wise one. He's shared it with Courage, they both know what you do"

"Alright" I reasoned "Is my peace achieved on my end of days? The peace I need to gain full power"

"Should you choose it to be your end of days" the guide announced "If you gain full power, you will be the last living member of the Trio, presuming you take your power to full lengths and go beyond life. You'll be a deity, along with your comrades that is. But they'll be the deity in the form of the heavens, only reaching the mortal world through blessings. You can traverse both, you will be alive but godly, able to step on land or stay in the heavens"

"Sounds great" I said "but what does that make you"

"I'm a being born of the legend of the Trio" the guide said "when the first of you falls i'll be lost forever. That's when the journey will near its end, the time of reckoning will be near, your time" That's when a thought occurred to me.

"It's going to be me versus Soul Eater isn't it?" I asked

"Yes" The guide admitted "the Lord of Evil will reach full power one way or another, if not your comrades will live and the Trio will be mortal. Your comrades will fall as will your rebellion. You against him for the status of deity, you fighting for the good of all worlds, him for the bad. It's pass or fail i'm afraid, no re-dos" The guide left again and I headed to camp. I told Reshka and Forlon I knew what they'd figured out and they figured the guide had paid me a visit.

I went to the main tent and rested. I woke in six hours and summoned the air. I brushed it into every man in the rebellion, bringing back signals of each soldier, showing how many we now paraded. We had around three thousand in all, two dining halls and the land around us as a training ground. I'm sure our numbers would thin shortly but it mattered not to me. I was having a hard time not abandoning the rebellion. I'd be told they'd all die and leading them was killing me, and i'd been at it for no more than forty-eight hours.

We began to pack up and I marched at the front, Drok and Reshka aside, i'd decided to spend the next six hours marching. Until I needed time to improve my magic. It was a little selfish but we'd make better time than usual and get marching the next morning, for another six hours. We set out and I placed a mental timer in my head until trouble rose. As it neared the five minute mark hope started to grow. it was then dashed as Reshka approached and I knew something was wrong. I stopped the timer and hope Forlon was keeping more hope than I was. He had to believe we could do anything, and I couldn't believe we'd go five minutes without running into trouble. Reshka reached me and I mouthed the words in the exact timing he said them, the words that never seemed to stop coming to me. He spoke:

"We've got trouble." I chuckled in reply and threw my head back…laughing somewhat maniacally


	13. Chapter 13 Born to Rise

Trio of War - Chapter 13 - Born to rise…

Reshka put my laughing down to the adaptation of the anger into my magic. He told me that we'd be facing adversaries before the hour was out and I looked into the sky. I could tell the time by the position of the sun and knew i'd need another five hours before I could add more anger to my magic. I tested the tornado spell as I walked and it worked as well as ever, only a small one, appearing into my open palm at will.

We worked and the hour reached its end. I looked to Reshka who seemed as stunned as I was that we hadn't encountered resistance. I went to Forlon who had no idea why we hadn't either. He didn't dwell on the subject too long though as he had questions of his own

"Can we trust the guide?" he asked, shocking me slightly

"Of course we can," I told him "but I know no more than you do about him"

"You talked with him" Forlon commented "Reshka hid something from me. I'm Courage and the only reason I am that is because i'm reckless. If I don't know what to charge into headstrong I may fail and then dying in the wrong way would make us fail"

"You need to be at peace when you die" I didn't like saying this, it sounded as though my comrade's death was inevitable, when it was far from so

"If you're not, you'll just die. No Trio, only destruction"

Forlon nodded in silence and looked up cheerfully

"I'll try my best" he said

"You don't get it" I snapped "you can't fool yourself into thinking you're at peace. You need to be in sync with the world around you, understand it all, take it all in, and with yourself. You need to believe that death isn't inevitable but neither is survival. You need to achieve that and continue on until your time, if it does, comes. Thats true peace, Forlon, by all means fool yourself but don't try it on me, not when worlds are at stake" Forlon looked stunned at my outburst.

"I…i'll try" He stuttered. I grunted at him and walked away. He needed time to himself, I couldn't spoon feed him if I tried. I wasn't Forlon, and although knew how he thought as his comrade, I couldn't push him into the answer. I didn't know how to anyway.

I walked to Reshka and said a single word to him, and he looked up instantly

"Peace" I said

"Trying" he replied

"How long will it take" I asked impatiently

"Who knows, Makto" he replied "I don't achieve true peace often. And me and Forlon have to keep it as we die. But thats not what I worry about, I believe i'll get there, and I trust Forlon, if you keep giving him speeches like that. It's you, Makto. You have to achieve true peace and true power. I keep my wits and Forlon keeps his recklessness and we get peace, then we're done. You need to gain power then peace. Makto, i've seen you in what you believed was full power, half your power comes from peace, I know. What if you achieve it, gain the full power and lose control."

I didn't reply for a second then hardened myself

"I'll do it" I replied

"How do you know" Reshka asked quickly

"Because I don't have a choice" I told him "I know you'll do it and somehow Forlon will too. That's when my time comes, I don't have a choice then, I do it or everything ends. The world will literally be on my shoulders, and I won't be able to let it go. I'll achieve peace and power, kill Soul Eater and we'll make everything fine"

"Not that simple" Reshka told me

"Never is" I replied "why won't it be this time?"

"No idea" Reshka said, a smile spreading across his face "it just won't be"

We laughed together and walked on, ready for war. We marched another two hours and I intended to keep us moving another three, just as the sun went down and my magic was open for upgrading. I needed peace and nice surroundings to control my anger enough to take it out and add it to my magic. I'd never be able to do that on the move. I gave a general the word on when we'd be moving and he spread it. We all stopped when we saw a single black figure in the distance. Some people whispered 'Soul Eater?' and others argued, not sure who was there. I knew instantly. I saw the simple on his face with my magically enhanced eyes. Last time we fought I got the better of him and I was angry. He wanted a piece of me when I wasn't angry, to see how I fared without superhuman power on my side. He drew his dual swords and shadow ninja charged.

I chuckled darkly and summoned my blades to my hands, charging in the same way. We clashed swords and locked them

"Let's see how you die without your emotions" he spoke in my ear, a dark, raspy tone

"I'm hoping a more spectacular death for you this time" I retorted and he screamed a battle cry, unlocking blades. We slashed and recoiled. He came at me and rolled to the side, unlike Kora I couldn't beat him with speed but it could certainly help me. He narrowly missed me and I got to my feet.

We circled each other for a while, the army watching. Drok let loose a magical blast of fire (the trick he'd been practising most, despite me telling him to practice all magic the same). The blast hit shadow ninja in his face and he turned, eyes turning darker black. He put it down to some trick i'd done (he didn't know of Drok) and as he turned back towards me I sent him flying with a magically enhanced uppercut. He jumped at me and I rolled. I got to my feet and sent the air at him, he jumped over it and over me. I turned, lighting at my fingertips and let it loose into his chest. He went flying back and I let my swords disappear again.

I charged at him again with my fists. He raised his swords and slashed as he expected me to stop and try to block his blades. They went straight over my head as I ducked down, still moving and rammed straight into shadow ninja's chest. He flipped and fell to the floor. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, uppercutted him back down and didn't let his hand go. I kept this up for about a minute when he gathered enough strength to fight back. He slashed and I moved, keeping control of his arm. I went behind his back, twisting the arm and slammed him with my fist in the back. I twisted his arm again the other way as I went to the front of him.

He used magic to numb the pain in his arm and I grabbed his blade as he slashed. I sent magic coursing through his arm and countered the numbing magic he used. As he screamed in pain I sent his magic to his legs, collapsing them beneath him. He went down and I stomped on his face, I did this over and over until he was too dazed to stand. I pulled him to his feet and he rotated away from me. He couldn't see properly and had no idea what was going on. I summoned my sword back to me and as he turned his back to me stabbed it through the back of his chest, piercing his heart. He gasped, his senses coming back. I removed my sword and he crumpled in a heap. I set his body aflame, making sure he wouldn't revive himself and walked back to the rebellion.

They started at me, with the same awe they always did, until I asked them why they weren't moving. We resumed marching pace and I told Drok never to risk discovery like that again. He apologised and I started teaching him some new tricks. He'd made great leaps (literally as well as figuratively) using the air and could rush forward and jump distances with it, with minimal drawbacks. He ended up a metres from where he wanted to be, time to time, but other than that he was extremely skilled with it. He'd practically mastered throwing fire and could put great power into it. I taught him how to stream fire instead of just throw it and I knew he'd keep with that till it was mastered, no matter what else I gave him, he liked fire and I couldn't blame him. My main types of magic were the air and the shadows (though I wasn't a fan of the latter, it was just easy). I found air fascinating and the ability to move faster than humanly possible, soar like a bird and go faster than light thrilled me. I loved doing all those things and was looking into the more dangerous aspects of air.

Mainly, displacement. I spent the rest of the journey practising displacement, the ability to remove all the air from and around an object, sending it somewhere else, either forcing the place the air was sent to explode or the place the air left to crumble. I'd taken down a few walls with it and was practising eroding the ground away. Drok came and found me as we made camp. He'd not done bad with streaming fire but hadn't quite mastered it yet, although I didn't doubt he'd be able to defend himself with the trick. I decided to teach him some tricks with the earth, mainly a last resort defence, but a powerful path of magic if followed to its end. More than enough to hold off a lot of what we were facing, and most ground magic avoided actually firing it from your body, just extending magic. Meaning Soul Eater's minions would presume I was the cause of the ground shifting beneath their feet, not Drok. I intended to keep his magician status a secret as long as I could but knew it wouldn't last forever.

Drok went off to practice his new tricks and I went the opposite way. I searched myself mentally and found my vision of magic. I didn't feel anger stretching from anywhere within and readied myself for the next transition. The anger moulded into my magic without any problems and the guide appeared, as I thought he would.

"You feel it, don't you? he asked "The desire to unleash it all, getting stronger. I can tell you now, you get three more goes with it"

"What does that mean?" I asked

"You can unleash the full extent of your emotion three more times and live to tell" he said "but if you lose control and let it out a fourth time, it'll take control of you and you'll burn up"

"Maybe thats for the best" I reasoned

"You're not Courage" the guide told me "so I can't scold you for giving in. But think about Courage. He'd lived his life trying to be as powerful as possible, just to find out that in the Trio that matter to him personally, and the world he isn't the Power, but the Courage. The Courage he gained from not even thinking of it. Like you grow exceptionally fast at magic without realising it. Wisdom always realised his potential though, that is something you can't not realise, I believe. He thinks that he should have a Special Skill he practised all his life, but that isn't the way of the Trio. The Trio shows masterful skill in learning skill, not just using those learned through life. Your comrade is losing heart, slowly but surely. He needs you, Wisdom can reason with him but he needs you to open up to him, tell him you need him to be strain in order to gain the Power you need. Or he will lose heart and you will follow. Leaving the Trio to crumble"

The guide finished and disappeared, not hard when your a cloud of bright smoke, I presumed. I had to make up my mind how to use this anger magic before it grew. Every time I moulded anger I needed to choose a path for it, this would keep up for about a week, then it'd just strengthen me overall and give me new abilities, but i'd have to practise them to find them out. I decided not to improve the tornado but chose a power that didn't need to be upgraded in order for it to be fatal. Tornadoes needed more anger to do damage, this magic was fatal as soon as I moulded the anger. No upgrades required, of course more magic could be pumped into it and make it stronger, but as far as fighting regular shadow warriors went it was unnecessary.

I placed a mental reminder in my mind to remember to check my anger in twelve hours time. If it hadn't completely settled i'd not mould more, too dangerous, if it had i'd increase my power. I stayed where I was after the guide left and practised my new ability. After learning it to a fair extent I practised a magic I hand't used in a while for anything other than coating weapons…shadow magic. Being a Shadow-Wielder was hard. I suspected it had something to do with me having built up anger in the first place, and I imagined that it had something to do with my anger getting out the first time, when I bested Soul Eater.

I practised some of the basics, teleporting with shadows, summoning huge weapons and swinging them to opponents at regular speed. Crushing anything and everything in its path. I didn't really learn much new other than a very hand trick. Blending into shadow air. When shadows were used to make the air damaging (I didn't need shadows to do this but it made it much easier) it sort of bled shadows into the air. By doing this without making the air hurtful I could make myself the air around me, i'd see through a slightly darker vision than normal, but it rendered me completely invisible to anyone and everyone. I couldn't be detected by anyone, not even Soul Eater. Although if he became a god I doubted i'd be able to hide.

I practised the trick a few times to check how darkened my vision became. The world seemed a little blacker but nothing worrying, I could see relatively well and I doubted worse vision would hinder me much. I walked through camp, invisible. No one saw me. I practised turning the spell on and off a few times, to test my magic and play with the soldiers. While invisible they could hear me. I went behind some and whispered in their ear. While i appeared in front of others and disappeared as their friends arrived. Almost failing to contain my laughter as they argued endlessly (I couldn't laugh without been heard and discovered).

I travelled to the opposite end of the camp where I saw Drok sparring with Kora. They'd just started and were charging each other. I ran between them, a sword appearing in each hand. I got between them and placed a sword at each of my sides. They slashed and I caught both their swords. The shadows swirled around me and I appeared into their view. They both smirked and cursed Shadow-Wielders.

"Two against one?" I asked. We unlocked swords and they circled to each other's side, shrugging to each other as they did so. The ground shook beneath me and rose to where I was standing. I summoned a barrier and the ground rose past me on all sides. I didn't expect Drok to be using the ground, I thought he would've used fire.

As the ground subsided Kora was coming down from the air, sword raised. I rolled aside and saw a ball of fire pass me. A stream followed it, trying to get a fix on me. I directed magical air to my feet, allowing me to move at speeds not possible by any non-magician. Kora ran towards me hopelessly and Drok let the stream die out. He set his sword on fire and slashed at me as I neared him. I ducked his blow and sent a magically charged boot into his face. He crumpled to the floor, barely conscious as Kora came closer.

He rolled at me, I expected a slash and brought up my swords in defence. Instead of lunging at me he rolled to one side and lunged from that side. He drove me to the ground and I eventually managed to dodge a blow and I took Kora to the floor with a shoulder block to his stomach. As he fell the ground started to rumble. I figured Drok was back up, I spun round using the same kick as I had before, he had enough time to mutter a small curse before he fell to the floor again, how he was still conscious was a mystery to me. I ran at Kora and jumped, latching onto his chest and keeping the pressure up.

We hit the ground and I worked to get to my knees. He was flat on his back and I threw punch after punch, dazing him with each hit. Drok tackled me from behind and I threw him off with magic. He backflipped, using the air to send him further up, giving him space to land. I knew he'd used magic to go further up but the backflip wasn't magic, I figured Kora must've taught him a few tricks. Kora was getting to a vertical stance but was still dazed. I feigned going for Kora and Drok moved.

I closed in as he headed for Kora and sent fire through his insides, not enough to kill but certainly enough to keep him grounded for a few minutes. He used magic as he fell, repairing the damage, he'd be back in the fight within a minute. Kora swung wildly, figuring I was closing in. I dodged easily and tripped him. He hit the ground and wasn't dazed anymore. I sent my swords away while my comrades got to their feet.

I was impressed with Drok, new skills in battle and a great understanding of the new magic, combined with his existing skill he was a dangerous fighter. I told him to go find Forlon to improve his sword skills. I sat with Kora who, to my surprise, didn't want to talk about the guide. Instead he was racking his mind about Gilder. I imagined that the guide had something to do with this recurring thought but I didn't mention it, I wasn't that cynical.

Kora eventually was satisfied with what I could tell him about Gilder and then I made a decision. I knew Gilder had no more information to give me but I felt like asking nevertheless. I summoned Gilder from wherever it was I summoned things from and he appeared, conscious and wide eyed. He saw me and lunged, then realised he had no sword. He looked to my scabbard and saw I had his sword. This filled him with anger. He sent thunder at me and the real reason i'd brought him here could begin, to knock his lights out. I wasn't going to kill him but I wanted to beat him a bit.

I dodged his thunder and used a move I knew he'd never see coming, the same move i'd used my anger towards, the one i'd learnt that day. I powered it with as much magic as I could, knowing that was what gave it power, not more anger, it was already at its maximum strength. He stared at me as my eyes turned red. They turned darker and darker red as the power grew and then beams shot out. Two thick red beams, one from each eye. They smacked him in the chest and the only reason he survived was because of the magical defences he'd set up instantly. I knew I could've powered it to his death but I wanted him alive.

He scrambled to his feet and I summoned a tornado in my hand, as big as I could, about as wide as the centre of my palm and about three to five inches in height. I rammed it into his head, it wasn't very powerful and it may not have killed him without his defences, but it caused a hell of a lot of pain. He fell to the floor screaming and I coated my boot in fire then kicked him right under the chin. He was unconscious shortly after he hit the floor. I placed my hand on his unconscious body and he disappeared.

I sat on the ground for a while and thought. I'd never known why Gilder had betrayed his own rebellion to help Soul Eater. He said he'd fought for six years and had enough, but I couldn't believe that. He'd fought those six years without fear, and when we start to make ground towards the kingdom of evil he gives in, I didn't buy it. I sat and thought for a while, I didn't figure out why Gilder had betrayed us and I gave up, for the time being.

I headed into camp and went into my tent. Reshka was dealing with a few rebellion leaders and seemed surprisingly calm about it. He also seemed to be listening. I wondered if something was wrong with him, he seemed calm and relaxed yet listened to all their problems too, it didn't seem right. I took some of them off his hands and his mood didn't change. He kept calm and relaxed while I struggled under the menial problems of the rebellion…my rebellion.

I'd never felt good about delegating all my duties but I didn't have a choice, all of it was too much for just one person, even me. Eventually the flow of problems thinned then came to a halt. I went to Reshka as he sent the last general out of the tent, his problem solved. He turned to face me and greeted me

"What's with you?" I asked

"What do you mean?" Reshka returned without any emotion, but he still had an air of kindness around him "I'm fine"

"You're awfully calm" I pointed out

"Ah, that" He replied "I think i've achieved peace"

His words shocked me and all I could think was to ask a single question

"How do you know"

"Well I thought about it and I figured I needed to be at peace with the world" he said "I tried a few things and now nothing bothers me, I can treat everything with the same focus and concern. At first I thought I was hiding emotion but I searched myself and found that I wasn't hiding it, I was showing it"

"That doesn't make sense" I told him

"I wasn't hiding it" he explained "it was all there, but together. All my emotions have mashed together and show at the same time, allowing me to stay neutral"

I was proud of Reshka, reaching peace wasn't easy but then a thought crossed my mind

"If you're at peace" I stated "you're end is coming soon" Reshka stayed calm

"I thought so" he said "i'll face it with this same peace" he chuckled "Not like I have a choice, we'll fail if I don't"

"I hope Forlon is as open minded as that" I laughed

"I just hope I live to see it" he said

We talked for a while but he couldn't really tell me how he'd achieved his peace, we each needed to find it our own way. We were called for the evening meal and walked together. I showed him my new eye-beam trick and the invisibility I could achieve using the shadows. He was rather impressed but his face showed no signs of it. I had a quick thought and directed my magic to my eyes. I saw the world darken around me, as if I was invisible and then a light appeared inside everyone. I stopped and told Reshka what was happening. I focused on a soldiers light and it was emotion, green, he was confused. Another passed and he glowed red, I sent signals out to him and found that he was angry. I checked another few and Reshka told me to check him.

I did and he was a blue colour, a blue i'd never seen. Like dark and light blue together. It came back as a mix of all signals, and they all generated from Reshka's core which, when I sent signals to, came back as peaceful. He was right, that was true peace. Some of the soldiers i'd scanned were peaceful but not like Reshka. It's like telling two swords apart, they're the same thing but different types, it was unmistakeable that Reshka was at true peace. I concentrated and turned the vision off. A voice came from behind

"Well done" The guide said

"I'll leave you" Reshka continued forward, leaving me and the guide

"The power of the vision" the guide said "very impressive, and the eye-beams. Very good progression"

"What's the power of the vision?" I quizzed, ignoring his praises

"The power to see what people really are" he told me

"Through their emotions?" I asked

"Partially" he explained "thats one side of it. It's like mind reading. That vision you have now shows emotion, when you turn it on, which you can do at will, the spell costs minimal magic. You can mind read to a good standard. That vision will help you mind read, you see inside a person's soul and u'll understand their thoughts better"

"So I find things out about people?"

"No. It isn't just emotion. That vision is your anger, when you add more to your magic you get more power and automatic boost to that vision. At the moment it shows emotion and helps mind reading. The more powerful you become the more it does"

Like what?"

"You'll start seeing people's magic, but whereas the emotion is inside peoples bodies, the magic will be outside the body, like an aura. Beyond that you'll see peoples strength and other attributes. But magic and emotion are the only ones you have to see. As far as attributes about people go you can turn them on and off. Take Soul Eater for example. If you went up against him full strength you'd see his magic and emotion, but if you wanted to you could see his strength, intelligence. It's a vision of battle, appropriately titled Battle Vision"

I thought about that for a while before replying

"So every time I add anger I get a better Battle Vision" I asked

"Indeed" the guide replied "Next anger you add will get you magic aura view, then it'll all come randomly. You may see the attribute of strength of what they have eaten, no one knows" I thanked the guide and he left, but not before giving me a warning

"You're right" he began

"About what?" I asked, but I already knew the answer

"I'm leaving soon" he said "which means one of your comrades time is coming to an end"

"You know who" I snarled "don't say one of them when you know which one it'll be. It was always going to be Reshka to die first wasn't it?"

"Wisdom is not destined to die first" the guide said "but he is the logical choice. The time is coming, Power. Wisdom will know the end is neigh and stay to save you and Courage, but Courage will not be at true peace, and you can't die. If you die, Soul Eater can't be stopped, Courage and Wisdom can't stop Soul Eater. You'll need to choose, Power, one of the three of you will die that day. Wisdom is the logical choice, Courage will try to stop him, if Courage succeeds in convincing him to go with you then all of you will die, wether you unleash your full anger or not, Power. It won't be enough. Courage will also offer to take his place, you cannot allow this. Wisdom is the only one of the two viable to die as he is at true peace"

I stood there for a minute before replying, being told i'd have to choose between my two comrades was a hard load of information to take

"If one of us dies, and the other two survive" I started "You'll be gone, correct?" I turned round and started walking towards the dining hall as the guide replied

"That is correct" he said

"I can't wait" I shouted back, listening to the guide slowly dissolve into the air around him. I meant what I said. The guide's unemotional calculating was helpful, it was un-bias (like Reshka was now), but I was getting sick of it. Especially when it was telling me i'd have to choose between my comrades. On the other hand I didn't want the guide to leave.

Thanks to him I knew that i'd have to let Reshka have his way and die. Without him around maybe the same thing would happen with Forlon and i'd stop it, dooming us all. Or maybe I would've not known about Reshka and therefore made the wrong choice. The only thing that kept me walking towards that dining hall was the anger adding to my magic. It was weak now, almost ready for more anger adding to it. But i tapped into the anger i'd added, too scared to dip into the anger that gave me great power (I didn't really feel like dying).

I kept walking, focusing on the anger, focusing it on Soul Eater. If I was going down he was going with me. To hell with the Trio. To hell with saving the world. All I wanted was to know that, if I was to die, i'd take him with me. I wasn't dying on some battlefield. I was going to go down in a blaze of glory. In a fight with a god. I stopped walking and stared into the night sky. I was confident of a victory over Soul Eater, god or not, for there was one thing he didn't know. When me, Forlon and Reshka entered this world we were technically born. And if there's one thing that being born as a grown man makes you its this:

That you're born to rise..


	14. Chapter 14 only to Fall

Trio of War - Chapter 14 - …only to fall

I headed to the dining hall and turned on my Battle Vision when I arrived. I had no viable reason other than it looked really cool, seeing how everyone really felt. A general stood up to give a toast and I listened, like others, intently. He was saying how well the troops were doing. I took a drink from my mug as he was finishing and he said his final words:

"I'm really proud of you all" I still had my Battle Vision on and I saw his emotions. When I did I laughed so hard my drink came out of my nose. The hall looked at me in silence and I stood.

"I'm a magician" I said "a hero to many of you. I can read emotions, yours is green, which is mixed. I looked further into the green and it told me which feelings you had mixed" The general was starting to scowl "the emotions are disgust and anger. You are not at all proud of these troops. I checked you're mind on why you're disgusted and angry. It is because you were told to give an inspirational speech and thats the source of your anger. You're disgust comes from how badly you think the men are doing" The hall was now staring back at the general in distaste. I turned off my Battle Vision, it had done its work as best it was going to, and raised my mug

"Cheers" I shouted and the hall raised their mugs, excluding one angry general.

Kora was sat on my right and Reshka on my left. Forlon was next to Reshka and Drok next to Kora. I would've sat next to Forlon and Reshka but Reshka needed to tell Forlon about his peace, and what it meant. I spoke with Kora while Reshka idly chatted with Forlon, waiting till the end of the night to brake his news. I was congratulated on how i'd managed to keep the dining hall's attention and assured him he would've done just as good a job.

I spoke with various people throughout the night until I got up and mingled with the troops. I was by no means too high and mighty to speak with them. I hadn't spoken with the troops enough, I never had the time, and I decided I might as well, even though they'd probably be dead within the week. The captain who led the troops that had just joined us came to me as I sat back in my seat. I told him to head back to the rebellions hidden base (I didn't even know where it was, i'd never been) and tell them not to send more men, we didn't need them.

I told him to do this for two reasons. One, they wouldn't reach us in time to be of use and even if they did the rebellion troops with me would be dead before long (sad, but inevitable) and I didn't want to waste anymore lives. The second reason was that the captain was doing my head in. I'd started sending him to Forlon just so I could laugh as he got screamed at and went away, his head hung.

The meal finished and I headed past the main tent as some troops folded in (expecting to find me to fix their problems, I imagined) I walked until I could see the camp on the horizon and then focused. I added more anger to my magic and this time used it to increase the strength of all my magical defences, I mainly relied on counterattacking as a defence but there were times when this didn't work. I'd felt the weakness of my shields when Drok had summoned the ground to attack me earlier in the day. Drok wasn't an expert with the ground and it didn't really hurt my shield but it rocked it, a chance I couldn't take in combat.

I didn't know how Drok's other magic would've hurt my old shields but I knew it'd do nothing to my new ones. I used the shadows to take me back to camp and found Drok. We went to the opposite side of the camp i'd been at and I stood in an open space. I summoned my new shield and told him to summon the ground, exactly like he had before, same strength, to test my new shield. He did so and I felt what it did to my shield. It felt like a feather brushing the side of my armor, if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have felt it.

We decided to do a little more training since i'd dragged him out here. I taught him some ways to increase his magic defences (a path he rarely used, but based on how he crumpled under my magic kicks earlier I thought he should use it more). By the time we were done his defences were about half as strong as mine had been before i'd upgraded. He was satisfied with his progress, as was I. He showed me some new techniques that Forlon had showed him and I noticed the ferocity he put in each slash now, definitely taught by Forlon. I also watched what Kora had taught him. If he could master the strength and ferocity of Forlon and combine it with the speed of Kora he could be an unbelievable warrior. Kora wasn't strong but he could connect combos like people had never seen. If Drok got strength behind that, it would be amazing, an outstanding warrior.

Along with his sword techniques magic was a strong ally, one that the enemy didn't know he had. They knew nothing of the sword-swinging magic-wielding warrior that was Drok. An enemy i'm sure they'd learn about before too long, after her took a load of them to the grave. I'd told him to use ground magic and defence as a last resort if we encountered foes, I didn't want Soul Eater knowing about him. I knew Soul Eater couldn't take Drok's magic, it wouldn't get him any new power, he'd stay the same power level, but the draining would still kill Drok.

As he left me I thought and a few questions came to mind. Where was Soul Eater now? Where were we marching? I decided we'd be marching to wherever Soul Eater was (the reason we'd started to the kingdom of evil) but now that he'd lost his castle where was he to go. I used the shadows to take me to the main tent and conferred with Reshka, stealing him from some random soldier. I told Kora to deal with as many people as he could (after thanking him for teaching Drok). Reshka thought that Soul Eater would have fled to the edge of the land and would be building a new kingdom of evil. But he hadn't been inside Soul Eater's head, I had. I knew it would take an hour, maximum, for Soul Eater to build a new kingdom.

Which means that by now, if he had one, i'd be able to sense it. I sent my magic across the landing, a quick but thorough search. It came back and Reshka was right, he had a new kingdom at the edge of the land. But what worried me more was that there was a wall of black about an hour's march up ahead. Reshka determined (from my magical reports) that it was a portal for shadow enemies, mainly the basic shadow warriors (which the rebellion could handle, more so now thanks to Forlon, he had been pushing them hard).

We had no choice but to push ahead. I informed the soldiers of what was up ahead an they got ready, their first fight for a few days, I realised. The recent tussles had involved me and my comrades mainly, not mainly others. We got some sleep and packed up camp slowly. No one was in a rush considering what lay up ahead. I helped the rebellion pack by shrinking some of their load (using the ability i'd learned, where I could resize objects, making a sword huge or a crate tiny).

Eventually the packing was done and we set out. The people carrying the load were at the back, ready to drop it immediately and rush into battle while others started the fight. We reached the wall and a giant voice boomed

"Cross, if you can" was all it said. I recognised the voice as Soul Eater's and the wall moved backwards about a mile. I thought that meant we were safe but we weren't. The black wall became see through, still tinted black but we could see the other side, not much difference than the one we were on. Then shadow warriors were produced. I didn't mind that, we could take them. I didn't even mind shadow beasts to an extent, the rebellion could kill them to. But Shadow Stalkers were killable by only me. I got ready to charge when the guide appeared next to me.

"Hey" he said in a rush, with bad news "remember when I said you could get angry three more times and you'd be fine, but on the fourth you'd die?"

"Yes" I answered cautiously

"Well I may have been mixed up" he said "now you've started adding anger to yourself things have changed. If you access you're full anger you'll die instantly"

"So those three mulligans you gave me now are gone? If I embrace anger I die?" I quizzed

"Yes" he said "now get fighting" then he disappeared.

I cursed him and drew my two blades from nothing but they appeared nevertheless.

"Charge" was all I need say and we ran forward. I used the air on my feet to keep my in front of the rebellion (cheating, I know, but no one cared). Reshka and Forlon were behind me, running at the same pace and Kora and Drok behind them. It seemed like Kora and Drok had become good friends and I decided to ask them, presuming we lived through this.

I hit the enemy first and started slashing, roaring with anger. The main reason I was angry was because I couldn't be angry. The fact that my secret weapon had been taken from under me really made me want to kill. The problem was now big though. The shadow warriors had come at such a fast rate we were about half a mile from the wall. I slashed away for about ten seconds before Forlon joined the fight, arrows flying at a tremendous rate.

"What took you so long?" I asked through gritted teeth

"I decided to polish my blade, I know it'll be full of black dust from these fiends but who cares, appearance is all" I laughed along with Forlon and we fought together as the army joined us. I ducked a spear and stabbed a warrior through the stomach with my right blade. He turned to dust and I spun, taking the head of another with my left blade. I dodged the same spear as before and slashed downwards, cutting it in half. I kicked a warrior away and stabbed another with my left blade. I turned and pushed the air, knocking over the warriors on that side. We were slowly making progress towards the wall. Our men were falling slowly but deaths were inevitable, and the kills were greater.

The spear guy was back at my right and he was annoying me. He fought with his shaft only which I knocked from his hands then kicked him onto his back. I stabbed him while he was down, i'd had enough of that one. I slashed another warrior down when I saw a two warriors walking towards me. But not shadow ones, some old friend. Warriors of dark flame. They approached me but non approached my two comrades, they only cared for me today - I was touched. They didn't address me before attacking. I threw both my swords high in the air and sent lightning from one of my empty hands, killing a dark flame warrior. The other one came at me and I kicked him in the chest, my boot was now alight with purple fire.

I spread the flames throughout my body and caught my weapons, they went alight with the same flames and I stabbed the warrior dead. So easy, hard to believe they were once the worst we had to deal with. I kept working through the shadow warriors, each time the flames on my body or swords touched them, they turned to dust. It was surprisingly easy. Then the black wall flashed, they shadow warriors came at the same rate (about five every few seconds, coming out in a straight line) but each ten seconds a shadow beast leaped over the heads of the warriors and joined the fray. I kept working on the warriors, not slowing my pace for anyone. Forlon appeared by my side and we worked together. I looked at his blades and they turned alight with purple fire, like my body.

The first shadow beast appeared and came at me, I took to one knee and used the air to send it to the rebellion behind me, it rolled in the air and landed on its back. As it flew threw the air, snarling wildly, an arrow hit it between the eyes, Reshka kept firing, not slowing. The rebellion moved to let the shadow beast land. Most kept on the warriors but a few stopped to stab the beast and it turned into a pool of shadows. That gave them new morale and they fought with renewed vigour. I ducked a sword and then kicked the wielder, he turned to dust on impact. I whipped round and dodged a warrior wielding dual blades. He came at me with both. I clashed swords with him and swiped his legs, he disintegrated on touch. An arrow came and claimed what would've been my next victim.

Reshka was mainly focusing his fire on the warriors closest to the rebellion, me and Forlon needed little help. I shouted to Reshka

"In the air" he understood and fired an arrow into the clouds. I jumped above the clouds, Forlon letting loose a curse as I left him to himself. I touched the arrow as it came down and it multiplied into too many to count, at least thirty, maybe fifty, no more than seventy-five. I landed near Forlon, using magic to raise the ground as I landed, claiming the lives of many. The arrows came down and Forlon smiled. We gained ground quickly, knowing the shadow warriors would regain it if we didn't. I summoned an avatar behind me, but not ten foot like the others. I focused magic into it and it grew, and grew. It ended at about twenty foot, its blades not a faint orange like it, they were pure black dual blades, made from deep shadows. Its eyes carried the same beam powers as mine, that avatar took a lot of magic to sustain but was a foe i'd never want to go up against. He entered the fight in a blaze of glory. He advanced towards the wall, his eyes never losing their beams and his swords never stopping moving.

I could never keep my eye-beams going that long, only about thirty seconds, maximum, but the avatar didn't seem bound by the same limitations. It sliced with its head moving, claiming more than a single life per second. He reached the wall and the rebellion followed. Reshka's arrows were flying relentlessly. I looked at his bow and gave it the enchantment I had against Soul Eater, he didn't need to reload. Just pull the string back and the arrow would appear. The rebellion kept the warriors and appearing beasts dying as quickly as they came. The avatar disappeared and the magic flowed back into me. Forlon led the efforts to keep the warriors and beast pinned at the wall and shouted to me.

"Take it down" was all he said. I followed my magic into my hands and let it loose on the wall, the same red energy i'd used to destroy the kingdom of evil. The wall fell intuit he ground but reappeared about half a mile back from where we were. I looked at it and then at Kora, he gathered Drok and got the rebellion moving. The plan was simple, the rebellion run, me and my comrades hold off the enemy.

The three of us stood in a line, the enemy coming towards us was not just warriors. It was led by shadow ninja, followed by a few ranks of warriors (about twenty of fifteen soldiers thick) and then about fifty lines of Shadow Stalkers but the good news was that there was no beasts. I charged forward, magic in my body, but no longer alight with purple flame. I let shadow ninja hit me but instead of killing me with his blade he teleported when his blade bounced off. I didn't know where I sent him all, I knew was that it was at least thirty miles away. I charged the Stalkers while Forlon took the warriors. Reshka helped me with the stalkers and all our weapons were covered in shadows. I ducked walls of shadows and overtime they tried to turn the air shadowy I reversed it and sent it back to them, disintegrating them.

Forlon finished the warriors in no time. He joined me but didn't find the Stalkers so easy. He caught their attention though and that let my streams of shadows take down rows at a time. In no time the enemy was defeated and I was quite proud of myself. Forlon did to but Reshka remained neutral, according to Forlon 'true peace was a buzz-kill'. Everything was going perfectly. We followed the rebellion, purposely letting them get ahead so we could cover them should need be.

Then Soul Eater appeared.

He appeared behind us and the rebellion kept marching, they noticed him but knew better than fight. I readied myself to fight with him and so did my comrades. Drok looked at me, but I looked at Kora who directed him away from us. Soul Eater spoke

"I'm not going to fight you" he said "but these guys will" he laughed crazily and then turned into a huge puddle of black liquid. Then he slowly started to turn back into the beast we'd fought him as, then he duplicated and again and again. In the end there was about twenty of the beast and we knew we could win. But we couldn't run, we'd all be slaughtered.

The twenty charged at the same time and I threw up a wall of magic, shrouded in shadow and fire. I held my hands on the wall, flowing my magic into it

"What do we do?" Forlon asked

"Go" Reshka said "leave the wall a minute then i'll take care of them"

"How?" I snapped

"'The Trio each die in a flash of light'" he quoted "'clearing the area of evil' it's time"

"No" Forlon said "I'll do it instead" I thought about what the guide had said.

"He has to" I said quietly "it's him or all of us"

"Shut up" Forlon snapped "there's nothing you can ever say to make me leave him behind" Reshka stared into his eyes a minute and I read his mind. Me and Reshka looked at each other and saw he was right, there was nothing we could say. I started to become depressed but Reshka, being at true peace, didn't change emotion.

I looked at Reshka and he nodded. I knew i'd never forgive myself for what I did next. I let go of the wall and Reshka hugged Forlon and whispered a single word

"Goodbye" Forlon didn't have time to react before I placed my hand on his shoulder and turned him unconscious. I turned to Reshka and we hugged. We said our goodbyes and I knew i'd done right. I hated myself for it, but I had no choice. I was about to walk away from Reshka and leave him to his fate when the guide appeared.

I slung Forlon over my shoulder and walked away, I daren't look back

"You did right" the guide said "not very diplomatic, but you have come out with the right choice. Now I must leave you" I stopped walking, tears stained my eyes

"Go to hell" I said, then a flash of yellow came from behind and I didn't move. It swiped the land and I felt the power behind it. I knew not a single beast survived. As it passed the guide he disappeared, never to return. That almost made me smile…almost.

I caught up the rebellion and went to the front where Kora was. He saw Forlon over my shoulder and the tears in my eyes, he figured what had happened. He looked at me for a second then stopped the army to setup camp. We'd rest here for the rest of the day and night, then move out in the morning. I dropped Forlon and kept walking, not to where Soul Eater's castle lay but to the East. I sat down out of sight of the camp and thought about what had happened. I looked at my hand and it glowed yellow, a triangle appeared in the palm then disappeared, one of the three lines remained, along the line it said Wisdom. That made me feel a little better, knowing that Reshka had played his part, but I knew he wasn't done yet, he'd still have a role to play before this was over. I stood up and flew up into the clouds and hovered there and thought.

Maybe the Trio was great but for how long? I couldn't help feeling that we were born to rise…only to fall


	15. Chapter 15 On the Move

Trio of War - Chapter 15 - On the move

I came down from the clouds and sat on the ground for a few hours, just thinking. Eventually my magical senses told me that the anger had settled into my magic and it was time to do it again. I stood up, just going through the motions. I gathered anger, a lot more than I had before (I wasn't really in the mood for being careful) and added it to my magic. My tiny tornados could now spread from the ground up into the clouds. I was rather satisfied and spent a while testing it.

I headed back to camp as it was almost fully setup. I sat in my chair in the main tent and waited. At first I had no idea why i'd returned just to wait, I could've done it where I was. Then, as the moment came round, I realised why i'd returned. A shout of anger filled the silence in the camp, not even a single general had come to see me, I presumed they'd known what had happened. But there was one man who would come see me anyway, one man who wasn't afraid of how people were feeling and, even if he were, he was feeling the same thing.

Forlon stormed into the tent and drove his fist towards my face, I sent thunder crashing into his chest. He flew backwards and got up. I wasn't in the mood for calming him down, if he was going to act violent I was going to react violent. He came at me again and I threw the ground up at his feet. He went flying again and regained his footing. This time he didn't try to charge me so I figured we were getting somewhere.

"Why?" was all he asked

"Don't be naive" I said "you knew he had to die at one point and when he reached peace you must've known that if one of the three of us had to die it would've been him"

"So he was the logical choice?" he quizzed

"Seems heartless" I commented "but yes" Forlon lost all his energy and lay down on the floor

"I know you're right" he confessed "but its hard"

"Not easy for me either" I replied

He sat up and looked at me

"When do I go?" he asked. I paused a minute then replied

"How would I know?"

"Hasn't the guide told you"

"I told him to go to hell, and he isn't coming back"

"Silver lining, I guess"

"How are you doing with peace? You'll need it to survive this, never mind completing the Trio"

"Well, this kinda shook my progress, but I feel like i'm getting calmer"

I looked at him in Battle Vision and saw the usual anger he contained, but it wasn't nearly as dark, it was quite faint. He was doing well

"How do I know he's not gone forever?" Forlon asked

"Hold up your hand" I said and he did as I asked and looked at his right palm

"Imagine a golden triangle on your palm. Then let it fade" he did as I asked and I watched. The triangle appeared almost instantly and then faded after a second. When it did a single line was left, the right line of it. The line previously had no words on it but when the other two lines faded the word Wisdom became visible along it.

Forlon didn't seem surprised and looked at me.

"We can do this whenever?" he asked

"I've been able to for the last few hours"

"How long will it stay" he asked, putting his hand down to his side

"Until you stop concentrating on it"

"Thanks" he said "i'll see what I can do about peace" he smiled and left the tent. It was nice to see him smiling so soon. Reshka's death had hit us both hard, even though I knew, and I suspect Forlon did to, that his death was going to be very soon.

The time came for our feast and Forlon occupied Reshka's chair. Kora and Drok maintained their usual seats and the generals on Forlon's side moved up one chair. I spent the meal chatting with some of the generals because I knew it would be the last time. On my walk to the meal i'd made my mind up, I wasn't sticking around. The meal came to an end and I invited everyone outside. I stood in front of them and raised my sword.

"This" I started "represents my leadership of the rebellion" i'd never used the blade before but was still sad to see it go.

I grabbed the hilt in one hand and the edge of the blade in the other. I piled on the pressure until the blade inevitably snapped. The rebellion let out some shocked gasps and murmurs as I threw the two shattered pieces of blade on the floor in front of me. They stared at it then back up at me. I looked at them sternly.

"I'm done" I announced.

With that I walked to the main tent to gather think for a minute, then I planned to depart. Kora was first into the tent, Drok alongside him.

"What was that?" he asked

"Congratulations" I said "you're their leader. Good luck, sorry you'll have no special sword, I needed to show symbolism and what not" Drok didn't say a word, just looked shocked. Forlon stormed in and said something I didn't expect

"I'm coming with you" he said. I just nodded and got ready to move out.

"Why?" Drok said quietly

"I'm suffocating here" I explained "it's not just Reshka and Forlon that need to achieve true peace, I do to. Granted, I don't have to worry about dying, for us to succeed I need to be alive. But it still isn't easy, and it's impossible while i'm here. Forlon knows what i'm talking about, how Reshka did it is beyond me"

"It's true" Forlon agreed, I was starting to like calm Forlon, still emotional but kind of smart.

"I'm coming" announced Drok "you're the reason i'm here. I will be giving a lot up but not many people like me and my magic won't grow without tutoring. If I don't go i'll become part of the cycle" Kora looked stunned. The poor boy had never witnessed such big decisions made in such little time. He stood in silence for a while. Forlon left the tent and as he did so placed his hand on Kora's shoulder

"You'll be a great leader, kid" he said

"Goodbye" was all Drok said as he left.

I started to depart and stood face to face with Kora, I couldn't think of the right words, so I just nodded my head. Saying more than any words could. As I reached the outside Kora followed

"No," he started "i'm coming"

"Kid," Forlon said "it's your rebellion. You can't leave"

"Wrong" he replied "it's Makto's. He's leaving, i'm just second-in-command. If our leader can run off so can I. We're abandoning them anyway, who cares who's leading them." His logic was undeniable and I didn't think I could stand it as the three of us, it would be like me and my old comrades in my world. Like I was letting Drok take Reshka's place. I couldn't let myself think like that.

"Let's go" I said and we left. All the generals stood at the edge of camp, trying to stop our leave

"Move" I said

"No" the first replied

"You're going nowhere" a second said

"You're not our allies now" I said "I will make you move"

"Then we'll hurt you" another told me

"Try it" I dared. About five lunged at me and received the ground exploding at them for their troubles. Some ran off and I addressed the others

"One last chance" I said "you leave or die" All but two left. I gathered fire in my hands and burnt them to a crisp, they dropped dead easily, pain written across their faces.

"No mercy" I said "we're rogue now. We play by our own rules" A smile spread across Forlon's face. Me and Reshka had held him back from some extreme things he'd always wanted to try (fighting an army, ect.) but he sensed that i'd just clicked when Reshka had passed. If things didn't fit into place i'd fit them there by any means. The only people who mattered to me now were me and Forlon. Drok and Kora were allies, but not nearly as important as Reshka. I may have shed a tear if they died but it wouldn't last long. I had a job to do. Some people saw me as unhinged, and that may have been the case. But I just felt alive.

We made good pace over the next few days. We stopped every twelve ours, to either setup or disband our small camp. We planned our movements around my magical anger clock. Every time I added a bit of anger we setup or disbanded camp. Finally my anger started to assign itself. This meant that whenever I added anger to my magic it gave me multiple new abilities or strengthened my old, I didn't need to assign it manual, and it felt good. The ones I had assigned went mainly on flying. I could soar like a bird and loved it. Every night i'd go out flying.

I woke early one morning and had about half an hour to kill before needing to add anger to my magical supply. I sat down and thought about my comrades. Kora had changed, a lot, he seemed more tough now, open to the ways of the world. Drok was more powerful all round, new magic, new speed, new strength. Forlon had come a long way to peace. But not like Reshka. His peace was basically that everything clicked, he understood it all but didn't balance like Reshka. As it turned out we all had our own 'true peace'. Reshka's was emotionless and logical. Forlon's was understanding everything but doing what he wanted anyway. Eventually he reached true peace.

I wondered when i'd get there as we marched. I was teaching Drok a bit of magic, mainly with the air. He wanted to learn how to fly but he needed to understand rushing forward with the air to even stand a chance of staying afloat in the air. We encountered resistance everyday. We beat them all every time, it was usually just shadow warriors but occasionally we encountered a few varied opponents. We marched as usual, anticipating the enemy when we reached them. A regular battalion of shadow warriors but led by five characters, each of them identical. Shadow ninjas.

"Like my new spell?" he asked as we approached

"How long can you keep that one going?" I quizzed

"That would be telling" he chuckled

"I've already read your mind" I informed him "you have no more than five minutes of that spell, then you're screwed"

"That's all I need" he replied. He charged and the warriors follow. Drok and Kora took the warriors (Drok used his magic when no shadow ninjas were looking at him), while me and Forlon fought a five on two fight. We did rather well.

A shadow ninja lunged at me and Forlon smacked him in the face, he turned and blocked another ninja while I sent the other flying back. One went for Forlon as he exchanged slashes with a ninja and I sent fire into his face. He turned and I sent him to the floor. I stomped on him with a five foot boot made from shadows and he turned into the air. Four left. Forlon was wielding only one sword yet he managed to keep two shadow ninjas at bay, despite their magic. They wielded dual swords and sped around like crazy, using the magic of the air to swing faster. I came behind them and blocked a slash from a ninja who came at me, I sent him flying and stabbed one of Forlon's adversaries though his chest. Three left.

Two came at me now and Forlon kept fighting with his foe. I swung under a blow and rolled under a blow from the other. The two of them kept me pinned, giving me no chance to attack. I set up a shield as they both slashed at once. Their swords bounced off and I closed in. I slashed one across the chest and, although he didn't die, he recoiled back and spent the rest of the fight leaning down, reducing the size of the wound. Apparently the ninjas weren't good at healing, that's what you get when you focus on just killing four people. The other came at me again and I sent his blow wide. I kicked him in the gut and his hands shot to his chest. I spun and removed the top of his head, a gruesome sight I didn't have to suffer for long as he turned intuit he air.

Forlon finished the ninja he was tussling with and the last jumped at me, still leant down. I sent a strong bolt of thunder into his face, taking his neck clean off his shoulders. The air shimmered and the actual shadow ninja appeared before us. He charged us, more skilled and powerful than the five copies. He swung wildly and rapidly. He successfully managed to keep us pinned down. We dodged and counterattacked but got nowhere. In the end Forlon let out a curse and advanced wildly. He may have had true peace but he still let his emotions control him, and he was not happy.

I covered him with the shadows, I slashed them wildly and shadow ninja who used his dual blades to slice through them easily. I sent them towards his face and he slashed them. When he looked forward Forlon was there. He sent a fist into shadow ninja's face and he went back. Forlon kicked him in the gut and slammed a fist under his chin. He fell through the air and to the floor. He got to his knees and lunged but received a knee under the chin for his effort. He tried the move again and Forlon grabbed his blade. He swung the other and Forlon kicked it wide, easily done when your enemy is on his knees. He twisted the blade and shadow ninja dropped it, leaving it in Forlon's spare hand, the wrong way round.

He swung again but Forlon was quicker. He swung shadow ninja's sword and the hilt smacked him on the side of the head, he fell to the ground again. He lunged yet again and I fired thunder, it clipped his blade and sent it flying. Forlon chucked the other one away and advanced on shadow ninja. I saw his face go black as he prepared to teleport away. He jumped into the air and Forlon couldn't react quick enough, he wouldn't come back down unless I did something, he'd just teleport away.

I jumped into the air and caught shadow ninja's chest, taking him to the ground. I told Forlon to help Kora and Drok as I repeatedly pounded shadow ninja's face. I got up and let him get to his feet. He charged towards me and I kicked him in the gut. I gave him a left hook to the face as I circled round to his back. I slammed my fist into his lower back and he bended backwards. I twirled again as he tried to hit me and smacked him under the chin. He threw a kick at me and I shoved fire in his face. I'd waited for this moment for a long time. I'd had enough of this lackey and wanted him gone.

He recoiled back and I sent thunder into his chest. He fell through the air but I reached out and caught his foot. I threw him to his feet and slammed him in the stomach. I heard some ribs snap and his hands went to his rib cage. He coughed blood and I delivered a spinning kick to his face. He was still standing but barely, his legs were weak and I didn't need magic to know that. It would've been easy to sweep his legs but this was too personal, he'd caused enough trouble.

I feigned for his legs and he jumped, I smacked his chin in the air and he fell to the floor. It took him a while to regain his footing and he came for more, too weak to cause any real damage so I let him hit. I barely felt the blow and hooked him in the face with my right hand. He spun into my left hook and fell to his knees. I gave him my boot under his chin and he fell backwards, barely conscious. I saw my allies approaching and scanned shadow ninja's mind, looking for a way to kill him permanently. I found it and he got to his feet. I twirled round to his back and summoned my blades. I stabbed him through the back of his stomach and took his head off. It rolled to the floor and before it turned to steam I stomped on it and it exploded. His whole body stopped turning to steam and I picked it up.

I sent fire through my body and shadows ninja's burnt to ash. Shadow ninja was gone, and he wasn't going to be back on my watch. My comrades reached me and we kept on marching. I taught Drok a little magic and then Forlon took over with sword skills and I spoke with Kora. The man was not the bravest of soldiers but had a good heart. When he died it'd be a sad day. I hoped he wouldn't die on my watch but I couldn't really control it.

I wasn't having such a bad time as we sat down to eat. We shared notes on the previous battle and others we'd faced. That was by far the worst but all battles considered (especially the battle in which we'd lost Reshka), it hadn't been too bad. We kept marching for the next few hours before setting up camp again. On our journey my magic had been upgraded again and in my Battle Vision I could see magic. Not too helpful to say that there was four magicians in the world, me, Drok, Gilder and Soul Eater. Soul Eater was too far away to see and I could'nt look at myself too well. Gilder was still incapacitated and I didn't want to make him appear, plus i'd probably be seen doing it.

Drok, on the other hand, was the perfect test. Around him glowed an aura. Quite faint but as we travelled I noticed it become more bright, as he became better at magic. From what I could see of my own aura it was much brighter than Drok's but I couldn't tell that well. I had to say that since we'd left the rebellion everything was going pretty well. The battles weren't that much harder and I wasn't nearly as stressed. Forlon had managed to achieve peace and I believed I was well on my way to it. We were making much more ground much quicker and would reach the new kingdom of doom within two weeks.

The main problem I was faced with was not wether or not i'd reach peace but figuring out how Soul Eater would reach his godlike status. I had all the magicians in check. He couldn't absorb any more magic from Drok than he already had and he had to go through me and Forlon to take mine. The only logical explanation was that he'd take Gilder's. Gilder had said he knew a way to stop Soul Eater's spell and I didn't doubt him , I just knew it wouldn't work if he wasn't expecting it.

Despite Gilder being the only possible choice I didn't know how Soul Eater would reach Gilder. I had him hidden away and he couldn't exactly get to him unless he entered the realm of magic itself and retrieved him…was that impossible? I tested my magic and retrieved my swords. I usually thought of them going and coming as a kind of flash, which came to life. It wasn't needed and in actual fact it was just a portal that took them. I sent my swords away in the usual flash of light but as it subsided I stopped it and expanded it until it was a bit bigger than me.

I shot Forlon a look and he understood that this led to the realm of magic, I was really liking Forlon at peace, he was a lot smarter. He told Kora and Drok that this may be dangerous and for them to get away. Kora followed but Drok stayed, he told me he wanted to help and I asked him what his feelings were to Gilder, before he betrayed us all. He told me he was never fond of him so I decided to let him come. Kora tried to join but I told him to leave, Forlon pulled Kora away and me and Drok stepped into the light.

The world around us was gone. The land and sky turned a dark maroon colour and there was no sign of where the land ended and the sky began. All we saw was maroon, flowing like the water, with white lines among it. I stretched out my magic and found out what this maroon was…it was magic, in its raw form. I tried to absorb it and use it to create fire or something but couldn't. This was old magic, before the shadows and before the elements. This was the magic of creation. The very magic used to create the world we stood on.

Me and Drok seemed to be standing on nothing, the maroon waves moved beneath our feet and through our bodies as if we weren't there. I looked around and saw my blades a little ahead. I stretched my magic out and used the air to bring them to me. At least my current magic still worked. I heard the familiar clanking of armor behind me and turned to see a very angry Gilder

"Oh, your alive" was Drok's only response "how interesting"

"I'm going to kill you" he said to us

"Believe it or not we're here to save you" I said "Soul Eater is going to come and absorb you, which will make my job as the power of the Trio and the one destined to destroy him, extremely hard."

He laughed straight in my face

"I'm not surprised you're destined to kill him, but he won't get to me" he laughed

"That is exactly why he will" Drok said. I saw the confusion on Gilder's face and explained

"You can block his absorption of him" I said "but only if you know it's coming. You think no one can reach you here, so he'll come, catch you unaware and make my job extremely difficult" Gilder pondered this for a while

"You're here" he figured "and he's much stronger than you anyway" that got me a little mad

"I beat him didn't I?" I reasoned "Right before you betrayed us all. Lovely timing, by the way, don't believe I congratulated you on that"

"Thanks" he replied, seeming genuinely grateful.

I was surprised he hadn't attacked us yet when Drok nudged me

"Oh, hell" I said as I saw what he did. Gilder turned as he got blasted with red energy from Soul Eater. He stared at me and Drok for a while then talked

"How smart" he praised "the boy has magic, but from me. If I absorb him I won't get any magic"

"Actually" I interrupted "I read your thoughts when you blasted my good old pal Gilder. And based on all logic and magic not only will you not get any magic you can't do it. If you try to drain him the magic will explode in your face. What i'd said was in fact true and Soul Eater knew it. He decided to check anyway and when he paused to I lunged.

He brushed me to one side, using the air. Drok came at him next and dodged some shadows sent at him. Drok summoned a wall of fire and sent it into Soul Eater's face. He'd been practising all magic for a long time yet the only types he could use were air and ground, otherwise he would be discovered. Now though, Soul Eater knew of him. If we fought any shadow minions he could use all magic, he no longer had anything to hide.

Soul Eater was forced back a step and then readied his magic to fire at Drok. I extended my magic and sent it to Drok, it coated him in a shield of magic and Soul Eater's red energy beam was absorbed easily. He let a sigh of exasperation and started to transform, the exact way he had when he'd summoned twenty beasts that took Reshka's life. I wanted to let loose my anger and smite him but I knew I couldn't.

"On your world indeed" the guide's voice echoed behind me as I turned "but here the rules are different"

"I can control it?" I quizzed "I can get mad and invoke all my magic and then turn it on and off at will, as if i'd added all my anger to my reserves in the first place?"

"Indeed" he told me "the only rule is that you have to be calm when you re-enter your world" I chuckled sickly and let loose the stream of anger, for the final time. I was convinced that the next time i'd feel this strong was when I had my full magic.

Gilder was struggling to his feet, I didn't really want to fight by his side, it was bad enough fighting here to save his life, so I didn't really care that he couldn't fight. The anger flowed into me as Drok went flying. Soul Eater looked at me and didn't notice the difference. He started to transform into the twenty and succeeded, no one tried to stop him. Gilder was getting back his bearings and Drok wasn't quick enough, I wanted him to do it. Like when I destroyed his castle, I was going to make a statement. The twenty stared at me, thinking I was to stunned to fight.

Soul Eater appeared again, at the back of the twenty

"I thought you were them" I commented

"Not here i'm not" he told me "I get to watch as they crush you" Drok tried to rush past me and I held out an arm that he stopped in front of. He shouted that he needed to fight and then I looked into his eyes. My eyes were normally a light blue colour but now they were a green-yellow colour. He gasped as he looked deep into them. He walked back to Gilder and told him to stay close. I was confident in Drok's ability as a magician and if Gilder turned on him he'd be able to handle it.

The surprise blast had drained Gilder of his magic for a good five minutes anyway, the advantages of mind reading were near limitless. I turned on my Battle Vision and the beasts had horrifying levels of magic, their emotion pure black…emotionless. Soul Eater's magic level was even worse but I looked at my own aura and found that I was glowing like a campfire on top of a mountain at midnight. Which is to say, very brightly.

His beasts rushed me and I charged. I ducked a claw and smacked one under the chin. He flipped and landed hard. Soul Eater took a step back as he realised what I was now, what i'd unleashed. He told the rest of his beasts to shred me to death quickly.

I looked him in the eye as he did and smiled…this was going to be fun


	16. Chapter 16 The Price of Failure

Trio of War - Chapter 16 - The price of failure

I'd be lying if I said that having the beasts that had killed the most logical of the Trio was not scary. The fact that one of these beasts had killed Reshka was enough to make my blood boil. As they charged I did the same and extended my magical senses. I jumped high into the air and used my magic to sense which of the twenty was the one who killed Reshka. Despite all these beasts being Soul Eater they were all different entities, the way the Trio was but we were all one.

I found the beast in question and landed on its back. This one was going to suffer. I pumped it full of magic and I could feel its pain. I didn't plan on killing it though. I used it to take on the rest. This beast was so pumped of magic that it could take them all. I got off its back and it fought side by side with me. I felt its screams of disobedience as it killed one of its comrades. My smile grew wider each time it did, it was sad to be killing its only partners, but it was going to the way it killed Reshka.

One ran at me and I jumped. I brought both boots down on its snout and rolled onto my feet. I sidestepped a claw and gently touched the side of its face. Shadows rolled through its face within a second and it was writhing in pain by the time I took my hand away. Another two came at me and I slid under the belly of the beast who i'd sent shadows through its skull. The three collided and toppled to the floor. The shadow filled beast's screams grew louder until it became annoying. I stretched out my hand and it died instantly. I took a moment to take in the peace and quiet (excluding the sounds of the fighting) and heard a grunt from Drok.

I looked over and he was locking swords with Gilder. Gilder was still disorientated and couldn't match up to Drok. He knew not to kill Gilder though and instead hit him with his hilt as he lunged or sent a knee to his chin. He smacked him over the head with the flat of one of this blades and sent him flying with a wall of fire. Gilder tried to regain his footing but just fell to the floor. He tried to rise but just slumped back down. He'd be back up within a minute but Drok had it under control.

The two beasts who had collided with the shadow filled one came at me. One swiped and I ducked under it. I grabbed its claw - adding magic to my muscles so that I could control it - and stabbed it in-between the eyes of its comrade. I pulled it back out and threw it wide. I backflipped, landing my foot under the beasts' chin. I grabbed the swords i'd dropped when I grabbed the claw and stabbed the snout of the beast. It yelped in pain and I barged my shoulder into the place i'd struck. It got angry and swung wild. I didn't move and the claw went wide. I rushed forward to bite me but as it opened its mouth I stabbed the bottom jaw with both my blades. I left them there and when it closed it's mouth I reached out my magic to them.

They burst out of the bottom jaw of the beast and passed through a wall of fire I summoned, to cleanse them of all the diseases they'd probably picked up in there. I ran past the pest, holding both my blades at my side, slicing open its side as it's guts fell out. It fell down, dead on impact with the non-existent floor that was somehow there. In front of me was the beast that I had control of, Reshka's killer. It was sparring with about ten of its friends, the other six unaccounted for lay at its feet. I climbed the back of one of the beasts fighting mine and stabbed it threw the skull. The way Forlon had to Soul Eater after he first transformed. It fell to the floor and I landed softly.

I coated myself in shadows and went on a rampage. I grabbed the back of one of the beasts with a large shadow hand and spun it. Another shadow hand smacked it in the face when it turned. It fell into its comrade and they both came at me. I summoned a wall of shadows and they both rebounded of it. I summoned about a hundred (give or take ten or so) tiny shadow daggers and sent them slashing the face of the beast i'd smacked. It fell dead a moment later, no skin left on its face. The other came at me, fearless as ever and leaped. I could have stopped it there but felt no need.

I walked through the claws and caught its small arms. I held it in position in the air for a few seconds before it started struggling. I spun it a few times then chucked it directly up in the air. I whistled to Drok who'd just kicked Gilder in the face as he tried to get up and he understood. I walked back towards the beast which I controlled as Drok sent an especially stream of magic intuit he falling beast. It pierced the beasts chest after a few seconds and as the beast hit the floor fire was sent into its heart and it died. Drok never would have had the time to use a spell that slow and strong should he have been fighting this battle in the first place. Since he was dealing with Gilder, who wasn't much a threat at that moment in time, he could chip into the battle on occasion, though I preferred he didn't. Every time he did it raised the chance of a beast coming for him.

I kept the armor of shadows around me and as I reached the beast I controlled it finished the last of the enemy. Soul Eater was slowly scrambling backwards but I couldn't have cared less. My quarrel was with this beast now. I took out all of the magic i'd pumped it with and took all of its own natural magic with mine. I looked at it in Battle Vision and saw it had no magical potential whatsoever. It leaped at me and I slammed it in the fist with my armor of shadows. I let the armor leave me as it fell to the floor.

It raised its head and I held the top of its head as I slammed my fist into its jaw. I stared straight into its eyes as I used my eye beams on it. I stretched the beams so they burnt straight through its eyes. As my beams neared its brain I sent my magic into it and healed it, reforming its eyes. I then started burning through them again and as I almost ended its life I repaired it again. Instead of using the beams again I slammed it under the chin, still holding its head. I kept ramming the beast in the face, until it bled a lime green colour of blood. I dropped its head and kicked it in the face, a magically enhanced boot that sent the beast sprawling. It got up but it was dazed. It lunged at me and it would've hit but the movement was lazy and sloppy.

I raised my knee into the beast's face and it fell to the ground. It turned round and tried to run away but I grabbed its right hind leg and threw it to the other side of me

it tried to get to its feet but I stomped on its head as it did so. It crimped to the invisible floor and I spun round, bring down my foot as it scrambled back to its feet. It decided its only option was to try and finish me. It lunged and I gave it a right uppercut. It flipped through the air and roared, trying to summon magic it no longer had. I jumped at me and I place one hand on each side of its head. I dropped to the floor and its head bounced up with a sickening sound.

I rose and took a step back. I let my anger fade and felt it leave me as easily as it came. I wasn't a rampaging machine anymore but this weakened beast was no match for me. If it did cause a threat I could turn back on the flow of anger anyway. I gathered magic in my right hand, light blue in colour and channelled it through both my hands in a sphere. I fired it out in a beam that took the beast's head straight from it's body. I felt a little bit more at peace now i'd killed the killer of my comrade. Soul Eater approached wearily. He fired his usual red beam at me but it dissolved uselessly against my shield.

With a roar of rage he sent a stream of red magic at me. I followed suit but with the blue beam already cradled in both my hands. Our beams clashed in the air and we both felt the pressure pile on. I'd had longer to prepare my beam but I had the feeling it didn't matter. Each of us poured every ounce of magic we had into the beams. Where they clashed a yellow light rose. The yellow grew stronger as our roars pierced the air. Eventually the light became blinding and as I looked away I heard Gilder's voice

"What is that?" he exclaimed. Then I heard Drok's roar as his boot stroked the bottom of Gilder's chin.

An air rose up and then instantly grew in strength. The beams were cut off and everyone thrown to the floor - excluding Gilder who was already there. Where the beams once clashed the guide stood, not in mist form but in the form of a hooded man

"Your quest has come to an end" he said…to Soul Eater "have what you seek most"

With that Gilder appeared at Soul Eater's side then fell unconscious. I had time to shout my disagreement before they both disappeared.

I walked to the guide and slammed him in his, now physical, face. He went down with a grunt and I stomped on him repeatedly . Eventually his form disappeared and I let our a wordless scream. I opened up a portal and went back to my own world. I saw Forlon and Kora fighting about ten Shadow Stalkers. Enemies they couldn't beat without me. I walked up to the foe, not hurrying and slammed one in the face. It dissolved into the air around it in an instant. Another came at me and I kicked him under the chin, he went flying and fell into the air.

The rest converged on me and I et out a pulse of shadows, sending the Stalkers into the air before anyone could blink. I went to the camp and sat down around a pile of sticks. I set fire to them without even lifting a finger and lay down on the floor. Drok filled in Forlon and Kora as to what had happened, he'd said that we'd found the ghost of Gilder there and not the physical form, a clever lie but Forlon knew the truth.

Forlon came over and talked to me

"You did your best" he praised

"It wasn't enough" I replied

"We can't win all of them" he comforted me

"Yeah" I retorted "well now we'll have to win one against a god because we couldn't win that one"

"I don't" he chuckled

"Thanks for that"

"Well it's true" that's when I noticed the steam coming off of Forlon "Reshka was never killed. He gave himself up. When me and him chose the right team we die, in a flash of light, we don't get killed. He never was killed by Soul Eater, he died because he chose to. Makto, I have to go now"

"Why" I quizzed

"If I don't go now" he raised his head to the sky "I don't believe I ever will. The guide was right though." he smiled "When I leave I won't be able to walk on this world again, or any we could one say make. But you, if you can do this, you get to work in the world above and this, sounds amazing"

"Goodbye" I said solemnly

"Goodbye," he replied "I trust you Makto, do your comrades proud"

"I will" I promised as Forlon faded into the heavens. I looked at my palm and the same triangle appeared as before, gold and glowing. It faded and two lines remained, the side two. On the same one as before the word Wisdom was written and on the opposite side, the word Courage. Power was all that remained


	17. Chapter 17 Ascension to Darkness

Trio of War - Chapter 17 - Ascension into darkness

_This is a short part of the story about Soul Eater's ascension to immortality, this was not written by me but by my collegue, it was proof read by me and a bit of it was edited and a lot of it reworded, although the existence of this chapter and its contents are not of my making or imagination._

Soul Eater walked up the steps of his new kingdom of evil. He couldn't hide the joy in his movements as he ascended the one place he felt at home. An incapacitated Gilder was riding on the air behind him. To think, Makto had almost had him dead numerous times. He didn't doubt his powers nor his ability to survive, no matter the cost. Yet he'd almost died a number of times when facing Makto, but no more. This was the end of it. His fight with Makto in the realm of magic would be his last.

When they next met Soul Eater had plans for him. He'd not kill him with a swipe of his hand, like he easily could. He'd torture him for eons, until he'd decided upon a world that suited him, what he wanted his people to believe he did. He may exaggerate the stories a little, maybe miss out the part where his arch enemy at the time, Gilder, had saved his life.

He reached his throne room, the top floor of his castle, as always. The darkness swirled around it's evil master, yielding at his passing glance. A dark giggle broke the silence as Soul Eater, with a slight gleam of insanity, he clasped his hands together menacingly. This was his moment, his time. But one thing stood in his way. The ay not have knowing but the Trio were more than just possible deities. While they lived Soul Eater couldn't create a new world.

If he did this successfully then he'd have his full power, no peace needed or anything. But if he ever tried to make a new world using this power a triangle would appear in his palm and halt his magic. While one of the Trio lived this wouldn't leave him. He planned on killing Makto only when he had his plans complete. When he did he'd explain every detail to his new arch enemy. Then he'd kill him but that wouldn't be the end. He'd recreate Makto in the new world, let him live and learn, then kill him again.

Yet inside he knew, that wouldn't be the same, the real Makto was the one he wanted. That was why he was going to halt his plans, halt the creation of his new world to deal with the insolent pest. As for the warrior, Courage, he didn't know. As he was planning on what to do with Courage the air sent a message, telling him Courage had left the world. He threw his head back and laughed crazily. What timing. Two down, one to go. Gilder awoke at his laughing and dropped to the floor. As he rose Soul Eater placed a hand on his shoulder and drained him dry. The feeling was good. It had been four to five years since he'd last felt that feeling…and it felt good.

He spread his arms wide as Gilder's body disappeared. He raised his head to the air, the roof of his tower opened up to the sky, it would not close again, when he was a god he'd dispose of this castle. He looked up for a moment and felt the magic flow threw him then began to chant:

Domine, exaudi orationem mortuorum Dominus omnipotens a caede locum belli portae aeternae traham extra animam, ut possit exire et sanctifica me immortalis mortalia arma mihi, benedicantur caliginosa sanctitas

Translation - O' almighty lord of the dead hear my plea, from a place of bloodshed and war, I will draw souls from beyond the eternal doors, so that they can go forth and hallow me, war of mortals immortal me, may i be blessed in darknesses sanctity

He felt the power flow through him immediately. The cries of the dead instantly filled the air around him and assaulted his eardrums. Soul Eater drowned out the pleas, he wanted to test the power, to kill but had a duty to do first. He gathered a fraction of his power and sent a challenge straight into Makto's head:

'I'm a god now, come, try me'


	18. Chapter 18 The Final Stretch

Trio of War - Chapter 18 - The final stretch

I sat on the ground and thought about what I had left. The only allies I had were Kora and Drok, and how would they react when they found out Forlon had gone? Would they believe he'd given up hope and this was he way of fleeing? Drok didn't have reason to believe me about Forlon's departure as he knew i'd lied about Gilder's death. I felt the anger settle into my magic and I knew I needed to add a little more. I went to my ager to receive some to add to my magical reserves when I felt very little left. I searched and searched but no more anger than I usually added could be found.

I reached into my magic and added the anger, I searched the magic for answers and found the most simple explanation…the anger was gone. I'd added it all. I now had all the anger I had in the magical realm, but I didn't feel it. I searched my magic for more answers and found out that this was because I didn't believe it. I let a smile spread across my face as I added up the evidence and began to believe in myself. I thought of some of the feats i'd performed while letting loose my power and tried them…they worked. I had my shadow armor on and whipping at everything around me. I had to draw them back multiple times to stop damage to the tents. I turned off the armor as I reached Drok and Kora.

"I'm done with anger" I said, smiling

"What do you mean" Drok asked

"It's all been added" I explained "the only way to get more power now is to reach peace"

"Doesn't Forlon need to die for that to happen?" Drok quizzed

"Where is Forlon anyway?" Kora chipped in, obviously pleased at my achievement

"He's gone" I said, lowering my head "he choose to leave so I could achieve peace"

Kora and Drok seemed to take that in when I fell to my knees. They rushed over to me immediately but there was no physical problem, it was in my head. A message rang out like I was stood right next to a ringing bell. It was a message…from Soul Eater: 'I'm a god now, come, try me'. The message played on repeat a few seconds then faded away

"He's a god now" I informed my comrades "he's challenging me"

"You're not going to accept, are you?" Kora asked "You may have your anger power but wether or not you are at peace, Makto, I don't think you can take him"

"It's been foretold that when i'm at peace with full power i'll be able to fight him and stand a chance" then I sensed the power behind me "but it doesn't look like I have a choice"

A beam of red energy streamed over my head as I ducked. I spun and saw Soul Eater, he had dark energy surrounding him. I turned on my Battle Vision and looked at him. His aura was not bright, the usual sign of magic, but a dark black. Despite the anti-bright colour I knew that he had enough magic to tear the world apart…but why would he wait? Was it me keeping the world alive?I knew he wanted me to suffer before he razed the world but was that the reason we all still lived?

Kora and Drok left the supplies and ran. They weren't followed and I stared down Soul Eater. I could have checked what attributes he was giving off but I didn't really want to know. I turned off my Battle Vision and readied my magic. A sickly smile spread across Soul Eater's face and he prepared his magic. He fired his usual red beam and I fired a few bolts of my blue beam and Soul Eater expected me to clash with him. I rolled away from his beam and felt its power as it passed. I knew I stood no chance against him. With this anger i'd always felt superior, a few hours ago I would have crushed this enemy like a bug should he have tried to fight me like this. Now I had my power and I felt so…powerless. I was nothing to this god but a pain.

He brought the lightning raining down from the sky and I spun away. He used the air to speed forward at an unbelievable pace. I used the air to move just as fast. The rush it gave me was thrilling, and made me feel more alive than I ever had. I ducked a magically charged fist from my godly enemy and swiped his feet from under him. He hit the floor and I took to the air. I flew through the air at a speed never seen before. I turned behind me, not slowing and fired streams of blue energy at Soul Eater. He clashed his red beams with them and I stood no chance.

I stopped in the air and Soul Eater and his beam flew straight past me. I was flying the other way before he noticed my manoeuvre and stopped his red energy. I poured all my energy into flying as fast as I could. He was much stronger than me and managed to catch me, despite all my efforts. I had to think - fast. I turned my angle of flying to one that went straight downwards, straight into the ground. I went through the ground and my foe followed. He lost me in the deep layers of soil. I solidified the ground around him, pouring every last drop of magic I had into the containment spell. It sealed around him and even the god couldn't escape without time. In my best guesses it'd take him a few hours, but he wouldn't wait. He'd use his teleportation spell to take him back to his kingdom. That's what I wanted.

If he did so he'd be stuck there until I came for him. He did as I planned and left. I was tapped of magic and had to claw my way to the surface before I suffocated. I couldn't take Soul Eater now, tricking him there had been taking advantage of his overwhelming anger, if we faced again i'd be dead - unless I found peace. I laid down on the cold, hard ground, a few steps from where i'd surfaced and closed my eyes. I was completely drained of magic and energy, I could barely stand, never mind catch up to Drok and Kora. They probably thought I was dead by now, but if they'd figured out they were still alive they'd know that Soul Eater couldn't have possible achieved his goal of killing me.

I laid in that spot for a few minutes before I fell asleep. I woke several hours later and felt charged with magic. I sat up and thought about what had happened. For the first time my anger hadn't been enough. My beam would've pulverised Soul Eater the previous times we'd met. But now he could swat it away like a fly. I wasn't as powerful as i'd ever been when I had my anger but I just didn't feel it. I felt as powerful as I did before I had the anger, maybe even less powerful. I stood up and stared around a while. I felt more at peace now that Soul Eater wouldn't be coming after me. I didn't know how long my containment spell would last against a god but it would last the full life of a mortal.

Needless to say the spell had never been tested against a god so I had no idea how it would work out. I gathered the shadows around me and took myself to where I thought Kora and Drok would be by that time. I was a couple of metres off but they had travelled at relatively the same speed I would've thought. They were chatting idly about their time in the rebellion. I thought they may have something interesting to say so I coated myself in shadows, using the invisibility I gained through the path of shadow magic. I stood between the two of them who were sat down and dimly lit by the campfire in front of them. They were in silence for a while then Drok spoke

"Do you think he survived?" he asked "Soul Eater hasn't been heard of since" Kora's face seemed to turn to stone

"We have to believe" he said "we're still here, aren't we? He can't have lost"

"Or maybe Soul Eater is just keeping him"

"We can't think like that"

"It's called being realistic"

"We don't have time for realism" Kora snapped "we have to optimistic. If we aren't, who will be? We have to believe Makto is fine and ready to kill that deity of evil. If we don't believe that then it won't happen, and if it doesn't happen we die, as does everyone we know" He laid back and looked up at the sky as Drok stared ahead blankly

"Touching" I broke the silence. They both looked up and seemed genuinely happy too see me

"What happened?" Kora asked

"Well he can't come to us anymore" I said optimistically "but that means we have to go to him. But we have time, so its not all bad"

"What's his power like?" Drok asked

"Could crush us like ants, should he get the chance, apparently waving your hand isn't the easy way to kill anymore" I told them. They reared up to ask a hundred more questions but I just walked to the edge of our miniature camp and laid down. I'd just woken up and didn't feel like sleep again but I needed to sleep. Kora and Drok laid down and got some sleep within a few minutes.

I didn't like that it was just three of us now. It was like me, Forlon and Reshka, like the old days. I longed to have those days back but knew they weren't coming, so I drove them from my mind. I held up my right hand and looked at the palm. I made the golden triangle reappear and then it disappeared, or at least one side did, leaving the to usual sides, Wisdom and Courage. More commonly known as Forlon and Reshka, my old comrades. I missed them both tremendously but couldn't dwell on their deaths. I couldn't afford an emotional breakdown so close to my final fight.

I knew the final round of me versus Soul Eater was coming and I intended to fight it as soon as I could. I wandered around for a while before finally laying down again and getting some sleep. I woke in the morning as Drok was rising, Kora was already wide awake. He was sat around the stale remains of the campfire. I noticed Drok stirring but he looked much like he'd go back to sleep, or at least lie around for a few minutes. I went and joined Kora.

"How's things?" I asked him

"We're up against a god" he replied "i'm struggling to stay positive here"

"We're not up against a god" I told him. He looked puzzled before replying

"Makto, we are" he said slowly "Soul Eater is a god now"

"I know, but we aren't up against one. I am"

"We're by your side"

"My side isn't available" I chuckled "you can tag along but in the end it's me against Soul Eater, I fight a god. Simple"

Drok came and joined us as I stood up

"Well" I announced "i'm off, have a nice day"

"What?" Drok asked

"He's leaving" Kora said

"No," Drok replied "you need us, i'm a magician"

"Fought without them on my world, can do it on this one"

"Against a god?"

"Why the hell not. Forlon went in close and slashed his enemies dead, magicians or not. Worked for him, why not me"

"Because you're up against a god"

"As are you, if you agree with Kora, a god you can't stand up to"

"And you can? You're about half a day's march from the kingdom and you're not at peace yet, Makto. You need us" I sighed

"Tag along if you want but i'm working alone now, if you follow you probably will die and there's nothing I can do, I take no responsibility for anything that happens to you"

I started my journey and Drok jumped up to follow, Kora was less eager but got up and followed. We all talked along the journey, we didn't intend to stop until we reached the kingdom, I needed no magic upgrades from my anger anymore and could therefore march all day, not that I needed to. The march was the most treacherous i'd ever faced. Within ten minutes we'd reached an army of warriors. The three of us charged, readying our abilities. Kora rolled as a warrior lunged at him and swiped his legs, he stabbed the warriors on the ground moved onto another. Drok hit the amy in a blaze of fire…literally.

When a warriors sword hit him a blast of fire exploded from his body, turning the warriors around him into black, shadowy dust. I hit the armies left flank. They all slashed at me but I was beyond care, they couldn't harm me. I had my fists coated in shadows and was just punching my way through the enemy carelessly. Many hit me but just bounced off. I smacked a warrior in the face with my right fist and he disintegrated. Another came at me and I kicked him in the gut. One stabbed a me from behind. I felt the blade bounce off and turned. I head butted him and he turned to dust. Kora appeared at my side, slashing away with little enthusiasm.

A warrior lunged at Kora but I grabbed its sword. I punched it in the face and it crumpled to the ground, turning to dust. I kept the blade and parried a slash from one of my many foes. I stabbed it through the chest and turned, taking the head of another warrior as I did. I moved towards Drok who was firing blasts of fire and slashing away. I threw the sword into the ground and it rippled, the rippling ground then shot upwards, killing a large portion of the enemy. A blast of fire stole my next enemy from me and I sent a blast of thunder to a warrior that seemed to be Drok's next target. We exchanged a quick smile and then got back to work.

I got tired of playing with the enemy and decided to end it. I brought the shadows around me, each one as thick as a person and sent tendrils out of my body. They wormed their way through the warriors and exploded their chests open, took control of their minds and made them stab each other, and many other gruesome methods of death. Within a few seconds all the enemy were dead. I stepped over a pile of dust and summoned a min tornado in my hand. I sent it to the floor where it expanded, sucking up all the dust and sending it far away.

We marched another few minutes before encountering the next enemy. I told Kora and Drok not to charge but just walk casually, and they did. The three of us walking up to a charging an army would've probably looked stupid to an outsider but we were doing pretty well, we certainly weren't dead. We continued to stroll forward and I decided to look past the charging army, much more peaceful. I'm fairly sure that either Drok or Kora thought I would fly off and abandon them but I didn't. As the army came close enough to strike I brought the clouds crashing down upon them. In an instant the army went from a bunch of shadowy black armoured henchmen to a few hundred piles of dust, crushed underneath the pressure of the very air around them.

We marched what seemed like a long time before we encountered the next enemy. In that time I conferred with my comrades a little but we mainly marched in silence. As we finished the most recent foes we'd come up against Drok and Kora slowed a little and chatted in hushed tones. I directed some magic to my ears and listened to their conversation, they were discussing when they'd drop off and leave me to fight Soul Eater myself. I couldn't blame them, a god was beyond them, and maybe me to. I could use all the help I could get but they weren't up for fighting a god, I didn't know who was. They decided upon fighting and destroying the new kingdom and then leaving before the showdown took place. No one believed it would go that simply but they had to believe.

We marched at our usual pace, across the land and closer to the evil at the edge of it. We came across a few more foes on our march but it was fairly basic stuff, fight, kill, march. The marching gave me a lot of time to think. I thought a lot about my life. If I succeeded here then I would not be a warrior anymore…i'd be more powerful than anyone ever had been. Even Forlon and Reshka wouldn't be as strong, they were Courage and Wisdom, there was only one power, and that was me. Even Soul Eater would fall before me, but I made no mistake in underestimating him. If I did achieve my full potential I still couldn't crush him like a bug, it'd be a bloody, gritty fight to the death. He was a god and no matter my strength he wouldn't fall nearly as easy as his minions.

We were about an hours march from the kingdom of evil and it still towered over us, despite the distance. We continued on then heard the sound of fighting behind us. We looked over and saw Soul Eater's warriors in combat with the rebellion. The rebellion came out on top and tended to there dead. We went over to greet the rebellion and they weren't too thrilled. The general who i'd spoken against at one of the meals was now in charge. I used my Battle Vision as I greeted him and the men were not happy. They were all depressed and had lost all hope. I talked to the new leader and he wasn't keen to share details but I didn't need him to.

After he shunned me the first time I just read his mind and found everything I needed to know. He knew that the rebellions morale was just about rock bottom but thought he had to continue, he had to kill Soul Eater. I took him to the main tent and told him the situation, unlike him I didn't hide the details. I told him about Gilder and about Soul Eater's transformation to a god. He seemed a bit shocked by the end of it and I just sighed

"Sorry" I said after I figured he was scared and then slammed him under the chin. He went in the air a little while then hit the ground, hard.

I went outside and gathered the rebellion. I told them the situation in a nutshell, Soul Eater was a god and we stood little chance. I told them they could go home and be with there families in their possible last moments or fight with me. They took it like I was 'playing coy' with them but when I screamed I was serious some of them got the message. I was tired of all of the diplomatic stuff, it was time, for those that wanted to, to fight, and the rest to leave. Some of the rebellion marched off with their heads down, they didn't want to fight and I didn't blame them. The rest followed me as I headed towards the kingdom. The rebellion being at my back was a comfort, I didn't know how they'd gotten this far so fast but they didn't bother picking up supplies as I walked off. They knew it was needed, his increased their speed drastically and they followed at the same pace as me.

This ended now…one way or the other this was going to end


	19. Chapter 19 Time for Change

Trio of War - Chapter 19 - Time for change

I marched for about an hour and then reached the gates. I was finally here and it was about to get bloody. I turned to the men following me, I felt now was a good time for a speech but I didn't have the care in me. I shared a look with Kora and Drok and shouted to the men

"To the death" they seemed to go for it and cheered back.

I went to Kora and Drok and spoke with them

"When only Soul Eater remains you go" I told them "don't fight like heroes, cause you'll die. Fight and live, go when your part is done" They nodded and I stared at the gates. I charged at fist with magic and slammed the gate. It stayed put and barely vibrated.

I was a little shocked but let out a quick chuckle, Soul Eater was certainly flaunting his new status as a god. I held my right fist back and then thrust it forward, making sure it stopped short of the gate. The shadows behind me grew into the size of the gate itself and mimicked my fist. The gate swung open and a torrent of enemies face me. I summoned my blade from the air and charged with a battle cry. A warrior jumped at me and I ducked, moving onwards. A Shadow Stalker came at me from the right side and I crouched, never stopping moving, coating my sword in shadows as it slashed above me. I sliced its chest and it turned into the air around it. I jumped and spun, delivering a boot to a warrior in front of me. He slammed to the ground and I scrambled to my feet.

When I was back in a standing position a shadow beast jumped at me. I sent my sword away and leaped at it, tackling it in midair. I landed on its back and I on its heist. I climbed to its fast and pounded it repeatedly. I leaped off and brought my swords to my hands as I landed. I stuck one into the brain of the best and it turned into a nasty, shadowy liquid. I got surrounded by a number of enemies and laughed. They lunged at me as one and I sunk into the ground…literally. I came back up behind the first and took his head. I kicked another in the gut then slammed him in the head with the hilt of my blade. Another ran at me and lost a portion of his chest. The final two came and threw a wall of thunder at them. It crackled as they disintegrated and I went onwards.

I sent my swords away and threw thunder at enemies who came close. I varied it a bit into shadow when the Stalkers leapt at me but other than that it was fairly basic fighting. I didn't bother with an avatar, it was unnecessary, my defences could withstand whatever came at me, but the foes didn't get a chance to find that out. Not one of them laid a finger on me. Within a few minutes the courtyard was clear and the tower remained. I prepared to crumble it like the last one when I felt a surge of magic run through it. I gasped and ran backwards, as the surge reached the bottom then extended through the whole tower I shouted to the men

"Get down"

Kora and Drok trusted my and leaped to the floor as I did. The rest of the men looked sceptical and then a wave of magic rushed by and the tower exploded. The shrapnel killed most of them but the magic took the heads of those it didn't. I waited for all sounds to cease and used my Battle Vision as I stood. Those who were alive would have emotions, I figured. No survivors. The only standing people were me, Kora and Drok. Then we looked up and we saw the danger. Soul Eater was slowly, but purposefully, floating down, towards us. I got up and helped Kora to his feet. I turned him around and pushed him away. I saw worry and dismay in him through my battle vision but he and Drok did what I signalled and ran.

Soul Eater let them leave as he hit the floor. He wanted me, not them. He started to speak but I cut him off with a right hook to his cheek. It connected and his face felt like steel. My fist rebounded and he sent a beam of magical energy into my chest, I went flying. I knew that beam could've killed me, but he didn't want me dead yet. I got up and noticed I was steaming, the magic was incredibly strong. I sent thunder flying at him and he didn't move. It crackled against him and he smiled at me, my attempt useless.

"Why don't you just give in?" he asked me "It'd be easier"

That's when everything clicked and my jaw fell open. My life, why I was where I was, why I was stood here, fighting a god. A battle nobody, maybe not even myself, thought I could win. It was because I didn't give up. I remembered what Forlon and Reshka had told me about peace. They'd said we all have our own. Reshka's idea of peace was being calm, relaxed, logical. Forlon's was loving the fight and accepting everything that could happen. Mine was never giving up, even when the fight was too tough for the power.

I closed my jaw and Soul Eater looked curious, he'd obviously seen my mind whirling and knew something was wrong. I closed my eyes and when they opened I was someone - something - else, I was at peace. I smiled at him and he knew that he was in trouble. He let out a cry of desperation and fired a few hundred bolts of red magic at me. As he let them loose he gasped, realising what he'd done. He knew they'd kill me and that was not what he wanted. He had time to be mad with himself before he turned to watch me die…or so he thought.

As they came at me I leaped forward. I twirled under a bolt and flipped another, I batted a third away and took to the air. If i'd touched one of those bolts a minute ago then I would've been dead in an instant, now I barely felt it. I flew faster than ever straight over the horizon. The bolts kept up with me and I turned to face them. I summoned a shield sphere around me and the bolts clashed against it. They all exploded my defences held easily. Soul Eater came flying to me with a cry of anger, he'd seemingly thrown the idea about keeping me alive out of the window.

He came at me with his beam ready. I ducked it and grabbed his neck. He choked and I flew at full speed towards the ground. He slammed against it and I stayed in the air. I touched down, a must nicer landing than him. He leaped at me and he was red, magic red. Upon touching him I knew i'd die, and it made him look just terrible. I ducked his fist, he wasn't a very good fighter. I sent the air into his chest and he flew backwards. He threw some more bolts at me and I waved my hand and they exploded where they were. His eyes turned yellow and the sky rumbled. Thunder came down and nearly hit me square in the face.

"Not a very good, aim are you?" I mocked him. Thunder came down in dozens of bolts at a time. I didn't stop moving and managed to avoid them. He raised his hands and their power increased, I used the shadows in the air to make a shield, stopping the thunder from penetrating. He gave up on the thunder and it stopped rumbling above the clouds. The thunder had apparently alerted the clouds and now they were throwing rain at us. We stood there a minute, eyeing each other up, then I summoned the thunder myself and had it strike me. Soul Eater charged at me, still red with magic.

As the thunder struck me I gathered it around my body, the stream faded and I was surrounded by yellow, sharp edged light, crackling with magical and destructive, thunderous power. Soul Eater threw a fist at me and I caught it, his red power was useless against me now I had my own magically destructive barrier. I threw down his fist and raised my boot into his face. He grunted and was driven back. I threw another fist at him but by the time it reached him he was gone. I ducked as he struck from behind and kicked his shin, I went for his face again but he used a super speed power i'd never seen before to move far away from me. He used it again and I turned, hitting the air behind me, as he appeared.

I leaped and grabbed onto him as he moved. He lost control and I struck him again and again. I felt us bashing into trees, huts and many other things, some of which I didn't recognise. Eventually he wretched back and we both fell and the ground and rolled. I raised my head and saw he was trying to get back to his feet. I got to a crouching position as he raised his head to the sky, readying himself to fire another blast of magic. I pumped magic into my legs and sprang forwards, taking him to the ground. I smacked him in the face and repeated the action. He sent a wave of magic through his body which sent me flying at a tremendous speed. I hit the ground and bounced back into the air, when I came down again I landed on my feet and skidded for a little while before finally coming to a halt.

He was coming at me with his supernatural speed and I activated my Battle Vision, it put everything in a whole different light. He slammed a fist into my gut but when he tried to follow it up with an uppercut to my chin but I spun around it, grabbed his throat and threw him to the ground. He crouched and used his speed again. In Battle Vision I could see where he was going to be, when he used the power his soul literally moved before he did. He stayed still until his soul had arrived where it wanted to be, then his body followed. He appeared far away and then got to his feet.

He'd stopped glowing red and i'd stopped the thunder around me. He used his speed again and I prepared myself. His soul got into position for an attack and then his body started to follow. As his body came forward I teleported, not needing the shadows to do so, with my full potential unlocked I could do as much as he could. However that wasn't the only benefit of being at peace, I also knew that I was never even going to consider giving in, I was too calm to think about it. Which meant that I only needed to rely on my fighting skills, not my willpower.

I appeared just next to his path. He couldn't alter his chosen path now, all his body was doing was following his soul. I held my arm out and coated it with extremely dense shadows. His face ran straight into it. With the density of the shadows on my arm I wouldn't be able to feel it if a whole army struck my arm with their swords at the same time, but I still felt Soul Eater connect with it. I figured that meant he'd collided with my arm and had endured a lot of pain. His soul came back into his body and he looked up at me from his position on the floor.

I looked down at him and his nose was broken, and it was bleeding…bleeding gold blood. I wondered why he hadn't fixed it with his magic and then the answer came to me…he had reached his limit, he could be beaten. I reached down and slammed him in the face with my fist, I tried to connect another blow but he sent me flying. As I hit the ground I absorbed myself into it and he looked around frantically. He was scared now, he knew that he could die and that I could be the one to kill him.

He fired bolts of magic at the floor randomly, trying to smoke me out. I came up behind him and pulled his foot backwards. He fell to the floor, face first and looked around a while. He got to his knees and prepared to get to his feet when I appeared under his head and punched fell backwards and I emerged from the ground. He lunged at me and I raised my knee, slamming him under the chin.

He fell to the ground again and fired a red bolt of magic at me. I batted it away and he was on his feet when I looked back. It seemed like he was going to use his speed power put apparently he'd learnt that wasn't going to work. He sized me up a while then came at me. I found his attempts a little humorous but I couldn't blame him, his dream was being shattered before his eyes and he couldn't stand it. I flung him past me and he skidded along the ground. I wanted to drag this out, to make him suffer as he wanted me to, but this had to end now. I dug my feet into the ground and cupped my hands. I felt a blue sphere of energy, very small in size, appear in my hands.

I pumped it with as much magic as I could, it grew in size until I had to expand my hands to keep it hovering in the centre of my hands. Soul Eater got to his feet as it grew and did the same, but with a red beam. I unleashed all my power and he did the same. I was tired of this man trying to dictate the lives of everyone around him, now he had the power to do it to a whole world there was nothing I wanted more than to take it right out of his grasp. Our beams clashed and the ground beneath the beams burned away, leaving a giant crater.

We both poured our hearts and souls into the beams and neither of us gave a single inch of ground. We stood there for about a minute before I sensed something behind me…a shadow warrior. It was staggering, obviously injured, or just poorly created. I came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder I knew what was coming but didn't want to believe it. I had no magic left to send it away and it threw me backwards. My beam ceased and my magic flowed back into me. The warrior came at me and I smacked it in the first, it disintegrated upon touch. I had all my magic back but it wasn't going to help.

Soul Eater's beam roared towards me like a hurricane and there was nothing I could do to stop it, I was going to be destroyed, obliterated, wiped from all existence and there was nothing I could do. As the beam was less than an inch from me it ceased. I looked to Soul Eater and saw him roll across the ground. A man, glowing yellow, was picking him up and repeatedly punching him, shouting some of the vilest curses i'd ever heard. I stared for a minute before walking forward. Soul Eater sent a beam to the glowing man and he disintegrated. I hadn't known who it was but I owed him my life.

Soul Eater advanced on me and prepared to attack me when another man, a different build this time, grabbed him from behind and thrust him to the floor. He didn't attack him any further he just waited and said

"Whenever" As he said it the other man reappeared and started kicking Soul Eater, shouting curses again. I looked at them in awe and then the second man coughed and nudged the first man as he saw me. I recognised them instantly when they looked up and knew the voice as soon as the second man had spoken.

It was Forlon and Reshka.

Forlon stopped shouting as he saw me, I was surprised at his anger considering he was at peace, but I couldn't exactly say I was calm, despite me being at peace. They both smiled at me and I smiled back

"It's down to you now" Reshka told me

"But we'll be by your side the whole time" Forlon said "just like we always are" I nodded in reply and they disappeared. It was good to talk to them again. After this was over, provided I succeeded, they would be stuck in whatever world we would reside in as immortals. Only I would be able to walk the mortal world, I felt bad about that. Despite the equal effort of us all I would be the only immortal who could speak with mortals and walk their worlds, my comrades stuck in immortality, but they didn't mind. Although, that didn't make me feel better.

I prepared to fight Soul Eater as he got to his feet. We heard footsteps and looked to where they came from, Soul Eater had time to mutter a curse before a boot slammed him right between the eyes. He stumbled under Kora's offence and Drok came rushing in, literally on fire. Drok took him to the floor and proceeded to kick him. I was pleased to see them but knew they were in more danger than ever. I signalled for them to leave but they just shook their heads and told me they were going to help. Soul Eater sent Drok flying and came forward.

Kora ran to meet him and slashed him a few times with his blade, then a bolt of magic burst from the ground and Kora was no more, not even a skeleton was left. Drok let out a cry of anger and slammed Soul Eater with the ground and then a few blasts of fire. Soul Eater laughed and grabbed his shoulder, then Drok turned into steam. It was easy to forget Soul Eater's immense power. I could stand toe-toe with him but no one else could, they didn't have the power I did. I was sad that Drok and Kora were gone but it was just the way of the world, but I was determined to make sure it wasn't Soul Eater's world.

He prepared his red beam again, ready to resume where we left off. But I had other plans, I knew I couldn't win a magical clash with him, i'd felt it before the beams were broken off, but I did know what could win this battle. I let him charge his beam and then he fired. I held my palms apart, facing each other. On my right palm appeared the triangle that I could summon at will. Usually when I let it fade two sides remained with two words - Wisdom and Courage- but now when I let it dade none of it did. All three sides remained and the words Wisdom, Courage and Power took place on each side. I slammed my palms together as the beam reached me and a large, golden triangle stood in front of me, hovering in the air.

The beam hit it and failed to penetrate it. Soul Eater poured all his power into it and still failed to break through. I let out a little smile and spread my hands. With all my power I pushed forward and from the centre of the triangle, where Soul Eater's beam hit it a yellow beam emerged. It was tiny at first but it became bigger as it pushed Soul Eater's beam backwards. He kept shouting his objection as his beam was pushed further back. I heard a voice inside my head and placed it immediately

"Take him down" Forlon urged

"You have him, its time" Reshka agreed

I pressed more power into the beam and I felt like I would pass out. Soul Eater stopping screaming at put every last drop of magic he had into his beam, but it still wasn't enough. I understood it all now, in this world me, Forlon and Reshka were technically 'born' at the same time, meaning we were the same person. The legend that Reshka had once spoke of said that Soul Eater could be defeated by 'one' of Trio. But since we were all he same entity in this world, there was no 'one' of us, there was all three of us. When the legend said that this god could be defeated by one of the Trio it meant all of the Trio because we were all one.

The beam continued on its path to Soul Eater who tried to break his beam off and run, but was stuck in place. The beam was about halfway to Soul Eater now. I didn't let out a smile or even a chuckle, this wasn't the time. This beam wasn't just mine, this was Forlon and Reshka's to. This beam wasn't my power, it was the power of the Trio - although I technically was the power of the Trio, it was still powered by all of us. The beam crashed and ate its way through Soul Eater's until it was inches from him.

He let out a final scream and then he was enveloped by the beam. I used my magic to stop the beam and suck the big triangle into my hands, Soul Eater was glowing yellow and looked like he had small cracks in him. He stumbled forward awkwardly, unable to bend his legs. I charged the triangle and then sent it straight towards him. It flew like an arrow, fast and unstoppable. It struck him right in his cold, black heart and he exploded. The pieces of him turned into the air before they hit the ground and I fell to my knees, relived. The dark clouds parted and the rain stopped pouring. For the first time since i'd entered this world I felt the warm sun against my skin.

I laughed as I fell back and hit the ground. I laid there a while when I suddenly turned yellow and my vision clouded. I stood up and found myself in a huge room, circular with white columns. In the centre stood Forlon and Reshka

"Took your time" Forlon commented

"Well done" Reshka congratulated me

"Couldn't have done it without you" I said "What is this place?" I looked around

"A temporary base of operations" Reshka replied

"We made it" Forlon looked proud of himself

"The best we could do without you" Reshka said "but Forlon gave me the courage to try it, and it worked"

"That's why i'm here" Forlon said

I looked around a while and it was very impressive, especially without any power added to it

"So what now?" I asked

"We start building" Reshka said "There are approximately fifty-three worlds out there, and we control them all"

"We're gods?" I asked

"Kind of" Reshka replied "me and Forlon will stay here and plan the world to come. You can walk the mortal world and live how you like"

"Wait a sec" I said, smiling now "I can live my life however I want, over and over. I can be in a war on every world and pick and choose which to win and which to lose"

"Ideally" Reshka replied "but I wouldn't recommend it, fifty-three wars isn't easy"

"What happens if I die?" I asked

"You don't age" Forlon replied "and if you get killed then you reappear here, you are immortal now, Makto. I'm so jealous" he smiled at me. I turned away from my comrades and breathed in the air

"So can we create new worlds" I asked without looking back

"If we so wish" Reshla replied

"Then lets get started" Forlon finished

I looked into the black space as the room around me turned to nothing, this was a heaven better than anything I could have ever imagined, and I got to spend it with the two people who I loved most. Maybe in one of these worlds i'd fine a wife and settle down, but it'd just be strange, I thought, to never age and watch them die. I certainly wouldn't create a woman to love, i'd find one or be fine, I imagined i'd just be fine…but who knew. Anything was possible.

I spread my hands wide and breathed in the air that I doubted actually existed around me. I let a smile spread across my face and then thrust my hands forward…and everything was perfect


End file.
